Death in Mystic Falls
by CloudZzFluffyBedsOfWhite
Summary: After the war, our emerald eyed hero took to travelling the world, but now it was time to settle down. Not yet ready to face Magical Britain's craziness, he settles in small town Virginia, that is unaware about what lays hidden behind the mask of the young Lord. Is Mystic Falls ready for it's first true magical resident or better yet is he ready for it? In the dark plots are afoot.
1. Prologue: A Harbinger Of Evil

_**Warning: This has future slash and Het, the usual deaths that come with Mystic Falls and slight bashing of some characters.**_

 _ **Disclaimer:** **I own neither Harry Potter or Vampire Diaries.**_

* * *

 _ **Prologue:**_

 **A Harbinger of Evil**

 _By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes_

 _-_ Shakespeare.

 _ **Thursday 10th September, 2009**_

In a small town in the central of Virginia, the usual idyllic atmosphere was disrupted by an air of excitement, summer might be over but that meant little when autumn was already at the doorstep.

Mystic Falls was a picturesque in the southern US ripe with history and culture, with a population who was very proud and pleased to boast such a fact, it was not just one of many towns in Virginia but one with an illustrious Founder's Council that had prevailed to this day and was home to many festivals and balls each season.

This early Autumn day was no different, the 6,923 soul town in central Virginia had shed it's usually sleepy cloak once more for another of it's vaunted traditional events, and was abuzz with activity. In the grip of strong southern women and the Historical Society the town had been polished to show the best side of it's face for the large event. Working like a well oiled machine, in the shortest of time the town square had been transformed to it's full glory with decorations and lights put up in record time, with printing machines glowing hot as they spewed flier after flier.

The entire population had gathered in the town square celebrating their 'Night of the Comet' festival in honor of the return of the comet that had graced the skies shortly after the towns founding. Chatter was loud as people enjoyed themselves as they waited for dusk to fall and the celestial event to be seen for the first time since 145 years. People gathered with friends and family as they laughed and talked and children were running around with their faces painted.

Yes all was right in small town Virginia as they celebrated and welcomed the new season of events ahead.

No one noticed the figure among many who had remained silent and watchful through it all, eyes seemed to just slide over their person when one looked their way and it was as if they weren't even there... yet they were, and their blank eyes lingered on select individuals with an unsettling intensity. A figure that, by the time the candles were handed out, was gone.

 **-)§(-**

While all attention was drawn to the festival and to the skies above, no one realised something far more interesting was taking place just around the metaphorical corner, where no street or town lights touched, concealed within a sea of trees.

Far from the center of activity that was the town square at the far reaches of the town, lay a property that most had forgotten existed or belonged to the town. While large and exceptionaly beautiful parcel of land, it garnered little attention as it was largely wooded surrounded by more thick dark woods and lay so close to the far border that it barely qualified as part of the town, only the fact that it had - until recently - belonged to the Mayor and been in the Founding families since the inception insuring it's inclusion.

Few knew it existed as they had little cause to visit, which, on this night, was mercilessly being made use of.

In the only part of the property not covered by trees, was a large flat field that had underwent a drastic change in the past months; long grass had been flattened and earth disturbed as construction had started on a cellar and foundations, the left side of the large clearing was completely covered by huge stacks of bricks and stones and a huge tarp covering a mountain of beams and other woods, all in all a massive load of raw materials ready for use that looked like it was enough to supply an entire street. The bright yellow machines were lined up and even a mobile crane was parked to the side, in other words it was a fully functional construction site, that one would not expect stumbling upon during a hike during the woods.

But today was different from all the days and nights before.

What had clearly been a of structure of bare brickwork in the middle of construction when the workers left early afternoon, didn't look like it now as it was clearly the site of something very curious tonight.

Multiple small pyres were scattered on the land between machines, materials and trees, billowing white smoke that engulfed the entire clearing until the scent of burned herbs was strong and the smoke hung in the air creating a slight fog, creating a rather mystical, downright sinister effect atmosphere as it never escaped the confines of the field.

It looked like something out of a movie and the charged atmosphere of complete silence would not have been a miss at a graveyard and would have fit right into the witchy vibe the place gave off. It wasn't enough that visibility was low but there where the center that could only be anticipated was a peculiar sight, a faint glow tinted the smoke liquid silver as it hung over a indistinct formation of shapes that was just as out of place as this smokey fog on this cloudless dry evening.

There was just this tension in the air despite it being completely void of life that had a shiver racing down anyone who would be unfortunate to witness it.

But then who would there be? They were all far to focused on the clump of ice and snow trapped in it's orbit and the festival in it's honour, to notice much else other than their own personal dramas.

It was this scene that the figure from before entered at complete ease, having extracted themselves from the crowd expertly, the figure was now content to leisurely walk straight through the salt circle, playfully batting aside the redirection and muggle repellent charms. Clad in dark jeans and a leather jacket over a hoody the figure could be one among many without attracting even the slightest attention, it was only the thick old grimmoire cradled in one arm that contradicted the modern look.

Shedding the leather jacket and discarding it to the side in favour of more maneuverability, not needing it as the air was far from the chill that was a British Autumn, the individual with questionable intentions stepped over the the low brick wall emerging from the solid foundation and toward said mysterious curiosity.

A length of thin pale wood appearing from their sleeve, slipping into their palm the tip igniting and illuminating the white surroundings in a pale light. The smooth length of wood was guided through the evening air in swift precise movements, and a moment later dozens of lit candles appeared from thin air, casting about their golden glow.

Cracking open the the massive leather bound tome, a finger traced the dark ink as the relevant passage was read over once more, making sure there was nothing left forgotten.

It was said powerful celestial events were best served during the initial establishing, the rarer the better, and a comet that returned after 145 years and had preluded the spilling of much magical and mundane blood upon it's last turn certainly fit the bill. Lucky them that one just happened to pass through.

Having lain the massive salt ring around the perimeter beforehand and burned sage, rosemary and lavender since sunset, the area was already cleansed of any lingering and unwanted influences from those meddlesome 'Servants of Nature'. Uptight bitches.

As the fiery trail of blue appeared on the horizon, they set the grimmoire aside and jumped to their feet, picking their way over a low brick wall that appeared to be the beginnings of the inner-patio-to-be, the formation became clear for the first time. There in the center on a large mound of fertile soil from this land, lay a large gem-like shiny stone the size of a head that had decidedly not been there hours ago when the workers left. It was a magnificent sight especially as it seamed to absorb the golden candle light and possess it's own innate glimmer, the effect only enhanced by the three others of it's type set about it in a triangle formation.

Smaller in size, they were positioned as follows; one in the east on a tall, thin pedestal with a tiny surface area raised high in the sky representing air, one at the very south was laid in a metal bowl of embers and wreathed in flames making it glow a fiery orange, and the last at the west point was submerged in a bowl of the purest of water from a spring flowing naturally from far beneath the site. Everything was specified for the optimum effect.

From overhead the muted rushing of the approaching comet could be heard as it burned it's way across the sky, disturbing the tranquility of the dusk, it stirred the power in the earth and trees rose in response.

Teeth were bared in an anticipatory grin, the comet itself may have nothing to do with blood shed but only a fool would discount it's sheer might and quality as a power source and the response it elicited from the land soaked in supernatural blood since a good 1000 years ago, supernatural death always left a mark and with the overwhelming might of the celestial behemoth it's dormant power was drawn forth.

And a fool they were not. They were not ignorant enough to let such a delightful treat go unappreciated.

Slicing into the smooth palm with a curved dagger of goblin silver, they watched the cut appear and blood well as it spilled from the wound and dripped onto the stone below, coating it liberally in their blood.

They withdrew their hand when the polished stone lit up, the crimson liquid showcasing the until then inconspicuous array of runes etched upon it's surface, the magic contained in the blood starting the ritual and enabling the gem to absorb the blood until it shone fiery crimson. Seven more drops were spilt on the other three as that was all the blood sacrifice they required to follow suit, and with a single pass of the wand and the cut was healed. With satisfaction they watched as the magical gems hummed in harmony, their magical senses picking up a unique ring from each working in concert, as they resonated with the luminous rock of ice streaking across the night sky.

With closed eyes they waited, listening to the powerful symphony.

When the comet reached it's zenith directly above, two pale hands shot out to cradled the center piece, pouring vast amounts of their own magic into it, forcefully directing the gathered magic and tugging at the celestial power, dragging it in. The blood coated stone flashed brightly from ruby to a fiery crimson and it felt like clutching a piece of molten rock, the heat and accompanying pain was so intense that blood spilled down their chin as they bit their lip, yet they did not let go. Finally after what felt like an eternity it became unbearable and a small scream left abused lips as it could be repressed no longer, the sheer agony needing some type of release.

The agonized screech rang through the still night air only amplified by the swallowing quietness of the woods. They did not worry.

There was no one around to hear or see him with them all gathered in the town square lighting their candles. Even that pair of campers that had been skulking around in the vicinity had been so courteously removed for them. Vampires and their inherent lack of restraint did have some uses after all.

How fortunate, as any other magic wards would have been torn down like rice paper by the sheer volume of magical output.

Besides people in this town were too absorbed in their own drama and gossip to come this far out especially now that these nasty murders had the deputies and the 'secret' Council in a tizzy. A sharp smirk curved their lips as their mind filled with the images and foreknowledge of what was to come.

Sign of great calamity indeed, the figure idly wondered if they were counted within that even if they had been here months earlier quietly observing...waiting for the fun to begin...

To be honest, they actually felt sorry for the poor inhabitants of Mystic Falls who had no idea what the future had in store for them.

It was probably Karma for robbing dozens of Vampires of all their land and possessions and then burning them in a church to validate their claim. What goes around comes around, and after 145 years of relative peace karma was going to be a bitch.

Small town Virgina was in for one hell off a ride.

Not that they cared for muggles and their woes overly much, there were too many of them anyway, a few hundred more or less would make no was no sweat of their back, they had insured they had a front row seat and that was all that mattered.

So far removed from their magical roots and the hustle and bustle of the Wizarding Worlds there was little to satisfy their need for entertainment and they would gladly take what they could get.

With that thought they could feel the ritual come to a close and the spell take effect the strain on their person vanishing enabling them to full back their unmarred hands to watch watch the last stages reach completion by themselves. Heart pumping with adrenaline, the figure dropped into a crouch, the triumphant gleam never leaving their eye despite the fatigue.

They knew they could have asked their cousin for help, but that would have meant enduring his smug smirks and his superior eye brow lifting, this way they could rub it in his face when he inevitably paid his visit, it wouldn't take all too long considering the illustrious prey involved.

With satisfaction and a malicious gleam in their eye, they watched the gems pulsed once in sync, releasing a strong wave of power that lifted their hair and negated gravity before it spread outwards, the bright blue, gold and red glowing runes riding on it's wave, sinking into the ground and infusing into all the gathered materials on site… imbuing it with it's unique flavour of power before fading from all senses.

The stage was set.

Even the most intuitive of those servants of nature would find nothing amiss, though it mattered little to them what _they_ got in their minds, those hedge witches hardly warranted a stray thought, no their attention was reserved for one special person alone. As they had a special talent of their own; they could **_see,_** so they _knew_ the future had many events laid out that, no matter what, would make it unavoidable for said person to get involved. Despite all efforts, the person would be drawn in as was their nature.

 _And that_ , lips stretched in a predatory smile as they stared up at a last glimpse at the receding comet, _is what I'm counting on._

Tonight was only the kick off, soon the fun would _truly_ begin.

They were going to enjoy the show.

* * *

 ** _Here is the first chapter of a story that just would not get out of my head. I wasn't planning on a HP/Vampire Diaries x-over but it would have eaten me alive if I hadn't gotten it out. I blame it all on Joseph Morgan he just had to be so brilliant._**

 ** _Hope you enjoyed it so far._**


	2. 1 A Glimpse into Small Town Life

_**Disclaimer: Neither Vampire Diaries or Harry Potter is mine.**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1:**_

 **A Glimpse into Small Town Life**

 **Thursday 24th September, 2009**

In the master bedroom of a small town, the curtains swayed in a small breeze as the crickets sang their last as autumn was on it's full way. All was calm and peaceful, it was a nice house in a moderate size for a family with tasteful modern décor and a homey atmosphere that could be found in 80 percent of all the other houses in this town. Truly there was little that set this house apart from any other house in the street. It was the sole occupant that, in every definition of the word, was extraordinary.

Most might not realise just to what extent this person was special but that was just because they were denied the privilege of seeing past his façade, as the person living here since last late spring was Hadrian Black, and he was by no means ordinary. No unbeknownst to anyone in this town this young man was a wizard, not one of those servant of nature warlocks who had to rely on their ancestors, but a powerful wand wielding wizard who needed the approval of no one, least of all a ghostly gallery of judgmental kin and ancestors.

And that's just the way he liked it.

Steam coiled from the open bathroom door and thumps could be heard from across the room through the open walk-in-closet followed by a string of curses.

Muttering darkly under his breath, he limped out of the closet he discovered to be way too small despite all the expansion charms; it was a health hazard, he buttoned up his dark shirt the hairs at his neck coiling slightly still wet from his shower.

Matching formal wear was not one of his favourite things to do and definitely not his forte considering he preferred the more casual style in muggle clothes, but if one was personally invited by the mayors wife and had to one of the classiest events in town right after; one had better look nice, good friends or not.

That he was in a slight rush didn't help him one bit, normally he'd have had a few more hours to prepare but when Carol Lockwood called in early one obeyed, and he even did it gladly, having taken a liking to the woman since coming to this town. She had been very welcoming and it might have initially been because he was not only loaded but also titled, but he soon found he liked and admired her, Carol was a woman with class and flair that he dearly wished he'd known during his fourth year. The clash of the strong southern woman and Rita Skeeter would have made the whole fiasco amusing at least.

Hadrian was in the process of putting on his watch when he caught sight of a familiar form through the window making his way down the sidewalk. Perfect. Grabbing his jacket and the phone he had especially inscribed with runes to last in his presence and endure his ambient magic, he apparated directly into the front seat of his car. Under his touch the car roared to life and he was out of the garage, a smirk pulling at his lips as his eyes lit upon the lone figure up ahead.

 **-)§(-**

Tyler Lockwood was not in the best of moods having had another run in with Baby Gilbert one of these days he was going to throttle the little punk, he took every chance to come at him like a yapping yorkshire terrier, It also didn't help that he had an afternoon of standing at the door and greeting guests to look forward to, of all the social niceties that was one he could do without.

He was ripped out of grim thoughts by a sudden silky voice behind him.

"I spy with my little eye a football star walking with a precious jewel case."

Tyler stiffened in surprise, then groaned at the familiar sing-song voice. Why - oh why?

"Adri."

"Yes, Ty?" Came the sweet reply.

"Shut up."

Hadrian couldn't control his twitching lips anymore and threw his head back in mirth, laughing merrily. Tyler was too fun to tease.

Tyler finally turned around and saw Hadrian idling in his car beside him his car going tat a snails pace to keep up with his strides, for one moment he thought seriously to make a run for it looking at the cackling teen he reluctantly called his friend, with a sigh he discarded that idea from experience he knew that if he felt like it Hadrian could track him down anywhere. Besides there's no chance he could outlast that sports car, Tyler eyed the sleek lines and cream finish appreciatively. He met smug twinkling emerald eyes and knew Hadrian knew exactly what he'd been thinking his smirk daring him to try.

"You're a dick you know that?"

"That coming from Tyler 'Dick' Lockwood himself... Harsh. Now, would a dick offer you a ride?"

The offer was made innocently enough, before Hadrian's face blanked as he heard the - this time - purely unintentional double entendre in his own words, and he had to really work to keep from cackling at the look on Tyler's face as he too got it three seconds later especially as he could have sworn it was followed by "Got to remember that one" muttered under the other teens breath.

"Why are you even walking?"

"Dad-"

"Say no more." Hadrian interrupted, silencing him with a raised hand and a grimace. "Screw that, and hop in."

Tyler didn't have to be told twice, he walked around the car.

"I'll take you I'm heading to your mansion anyway and I don't think we should make your mum wait for that antique box she might eat some of the personnel in her impatience."

The image startled a laugh out of the Majors son as he settled into the passenger seat up front carefully placing said box in his lap.

Tyler grinned. "She ordered you to court didn't she."

"I wouldn't say ordered... she sounded very harried I do think those helpers and old bints from the Historical Society are going to drive her up the wall one of these days with their incompetence and bickering respectively."

Tyler had seen his mom organising enough balls and gatherings over the years to know that that assessment was spot on and suddenly didn't find himself so eager to get there.

"You know since you're already going there, I'm not really needed you can just let me out at the Grill."

The words fell on deaf ears and the emerald eyed driver accelerated slightly as they passed said establishment. Tyler groaned.

Instead Hadrian sped up, "Oh no, your mother is a lovely woman, if she told you to bring that shiny box, you will. If I suffer so do you, mate."

"You're a real pal." Tyler said sarcastically and settled back.

There was a silence for a while as they crossed the denser populated areas and drove to the area where the Lockwoods had their residence with large property and sparse houses. Hadrian making full use of the emptier roads and reduced traffic, pressed down on the gas pedal, wind wiping about them ruffling their hair as the roadster sped down the road.

"I always feel like I should be driving." Tyler remarked, still finding it weird to sit at the left side and have no steering wheel in front of him. "What were you british thinking the wheel on the wrong side and driving on the left, why does Britain have to do everything backwards?" he couldn't help needling the british boy.

"Hey! We British have been driving our carts on the left before the America's even had roads so no dissing my car!

"Are you sure it's even le-"

Ah!" Hadrian cut him up with a glare, pouting when the teen snickered. "I'll have you know this car is a thing of beauty that could make your new racer weep." he eventually countered haughtily when Tyler finally had enough chuckling, he deserved the pride with how outfitted it was with sneaky magical gimmicks. Mr Weasley's old Ford Angela had nothing upon this baby, he smirked stroking the steering wheel fondly, turning the radio up to discourage any more of this wickedness, causing Tyler to roll his eyes at the British teen who treated his car as part of the family. Why did those around him be so car crazy, he knew Matt would love to get his hands on a Jaguar E-Type, it was only his interference that saved his best friends head as he nearly drooled over it in summer fingers itching to get a look under the hood, as it stood in his curb. One glance at the car and Matt was out off his funk after Gilbert dumped his ass, a humk of shiny metal had succeeded where he failed all summer.

 **-)§(-**

Their reception had been what Hadrian expected and Tyler feared, so it was no surprise to the emerald eyed male that the son of the house ditched him at the first opportunity after delivering the box and before his mother could get the idea to give him _more_ errands.

In Hadrian's opinion, Tyler was greatly exaggerating. Helping set up the Heritage Display turned out to be a rather soothing task to be honest, Carol had shoo'd off the other members of the Historical Society before he arrived and ensured the helpers stayed away from the rooms so it was away from all the stress and he was free to arrange the antiques and founder heirlooms in peace with only Carol flitting in and out of the room.

She sighed in satisfaction when she entered and saw the room done. "I knew I could entrust you with this you just have a touch with antiques."

"Well I should with how crammed my properties are with them."

"It must be nice having such a rich history preserved." Carol commented with a fond smile inspecting the arrangements, tsking when she saw the fingerprints staining a glass case, pulling a pure white cloth from who knows where, and started damage control.

Hadrian quirked a grin. "You say that now, wait until you have to do the yearly inventory."

Thank almighty Magic for house elves! Otherwise cleaning and keeping his properties - let alone his heirlooms - in pristine condition would kill him, especially if he had the portraits of his far too numerous ancestors hanging over his shoulder being anal about every detail. He never thought he'd meet anyone worse than Petunia, but a few of the more pedantic portraits managed to give her a run for her money - at least _they_ had a reason to; their objects actually being a priceless one of a kind pieces and not a crumb encrusted, sagging armchair.

He compared the lists and saw one item left unchecked, frowning he looked around but saw everything displayed nicely with the neat white cards, but there was no extra laying around. "Carol there seems to be an item missing."

"Oh dear, which one?"

He checked the list again to make doubly sure. "A pocket-watch from the Gilberts."

Carol froze for a moment, the smile on her face becoming fixed. He pretended not to notice.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I would have remembered writing a card for it." he indicated the stack of empty paper and the fountain pen, what years of writing with a quill had taught his was truly beautiful penmanship if could so so himself, he had come a long way from his initial chicken scratch. There was only so many times one could endure losing points on his potion essays for atrocious illegible scribble before one snapped and did everything to prove that hook-nosed dungeon bat wrong. All those long hours and those hand cramps were worth seeing that sneer freeze in shock... and it only took him three years.

"Excuse me, I'll call the Gilbert's right away."

He went to the next room and hung up the original attendance list of the very first Founders Ball, lingering curiously on the clearly chinese surname among all the others, before settling on two that had been often heard around town lately. Green eyes narrowed to slits.

Hadrian stiffened nearly imperceptively and his emerald eyes went blank for a moment before snapping back sharply into focus, gaze intense with annoyance, a bare second later the heavy signet ring on his finger heated up and pulsed once... twice... thrice... he twitched in irritation. _Wonderful,_ he had thirty minutes. From one moment to the next, his plans for the day were forcefully and completely changed with an abruptness that would leave most reeling, but he wasn't most and, unfortunately, it had happened often enough that he was so used to it that he didn't even blink. That didn't mean he had to like it.

With a groan the young wizard flopped back on the setee, loath to move at the revelation that the ten minutes of fighting with his closet were obsolete. He growled in irritation. Stupid Ministry. Stupid duties.

But what was a wizard to do, just because he was across the pond it didn't spare him from attending an 'emergency' Wizengamot session. He'd learned _that_ the particular lesson the hard way when he was was in Indonesia and enjoying the company of an alluring pair of twins, and was forcefully dragged from between that particular succulent sandwich so cruelly. He'd never managed a transfiguration that fast as when that silk bed sheet turned to robes before anyone could get a glimpse at his naked butt, he'd also never been as thankful for the flourishing of his wandless abilities as in that moment. Sigh. He missed his nights with Alissia and Adrian. Small town was a killer on his sex life.

Still he was supposed to receive a penned notice about an upcoming session at the latest six hours before, the first few times he understood as he there was no way an owl could have reached him within the time frame, but he'd installed a British post box that immediately notified Kreacher, who had the standing order to deliver Wizengamot and Gringotts letters discreetly the moment they arrived. As if summoned by his thoughts he heard a faint pop and the aforementioned letter appeared on the table in front of him.

...

Now that was just harassment.

With a groan he let the letter disappear in his jacket, not even bothering to open it, and went to find Carol.

As he'd expected the mayors wife hadn't been pleased, as she'd already had full plans of introducing him to some people from the council later that night but she understood that business came first. It helped that she was still preoccupied with that missing pocket watch. Now his date on the other hand...

Easing himself behind the steering wheel, Hadrian fished his phone out of his pocket and pressed speed-dial.

"So on a scale of one to ten how much are you going to make me suffer when i call in a rain check for tonight."

He winced at the response. It was to be expected, having dreaded that answer getting exactly the answer he hadn't wanted to hear.

"I'll make it up to you and you still have those two brats of yours to keep you occupied."

Her indignant answer had him snorting. "It's not a matter of age, but of maturity."

When he hung up five minutes later he had a smirk upon his lips and was assured that he wouldn't be lynched the moment he would returned. He'd have to pick something up while he was abroad, a tub of Fortescue's finest aught to do the trick she always raided his freezer when she came to visit, by now her first path upon entering was his kitchen. He'd never met anyone who could eat their weight in ice cream and hoped he never would again as then he'd never get any again, he was already considering installing a wizarding icebox in his closet just so he had some left for himself for a change - but it was already cramped enough in there...

Now off to make his displeasure be felt, them and their stupid new regulation (one that only came into being after he had left Britain for over a year) that a Lord of multiple houses couldn't appoint a proxy for all of them but had to personally represent one of them as soon as they reach majority... which of course all applied to him.

It was time to make them sweat, he had some tension to release and terrifying some cock-blocking lords was a viable option when he wasn't getting any. He might as well see if Alissia and Adrian were back on the continent if not they had told him many interesting tidbits about their numerous cousins that had played havoc on his libido. It might be the the time to look them up. Since he didn't have to bother with tedious muggle transportation, no one would notice if he made small detour...

It was with a skip in his step that the wizard crossed the driveway.

* * *

 ** _I was really surprised by the huge response the Prologue had, so I hope you enjoyed the first chapter and Hadrian's debut!_**

 ** _Review Answer Corner_**

 ** _Guest: I have some ideas. As you can see my Hadrian isn't exactly shy when it comes to the carnal pleasures of life and you'll see him interact with both, as he is decidedly Bi, but he'll end up in a Slash pairing. I've got some idea's for the eventual end pairing but until then... Vampires Diaries has so many hot guys it would be such a waste for Hadrian not to have some Fun._**

 ** _Other than that I'm open for suggestions, if I like them enough I'll write in some sordid escapades;)_**

 ** _Only NO Stefan! My Hadrian is a good boy and wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole._**

 ** _( You can tell I'm not a Stefan fan, sorry for Stefan fans out there, but it's just a no for me.)_**


	3. 2 Love Is In the Air

**Disclaimer: _I own neither Vampire Diaries or Harry Potter._**

 **Warnings: _Heavily implied debauchery and my first attempt at a slashy scene so I don't know if I should warn you of the slash or the_ writing _itself._**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 2:**_

 **Love Is In The Air**

Light shone in through the open windows, fluttering white curtains carrying in a warm salty breeze from the cresting waves some hundred feet below. A body shifted under golden silk sheets until finally a dark head emerged. Emerald eyes blinked lazily as they peered at the surroundings with some confusion, taking in the grand bedroom with incomprehension; multiple chandeliers and scattered candles, tasteful Persian rugs over ancient stone floors, a large gilded mirror to the left and a large burned out fireplace with pure white fur laid out in front of it…

...soft fur tickling naked skin... writhing bodies moving in tandem... the heat of the fire hot against his side... bruising grip upon his hips as tongues danced and teeth bit...

...ahhh he could remember.

A pleasant shiver of lust raced through his sleep drugged body at the pleasurable memories. A small pink tongue darted out as he wet his lips as his mind awoke and relaxed in the pleasurable aches of his body, pale naked arms emerged as he stretched with a satisfied moan, relishing in the feeling of aching and stretching muscles.

Now he knew exactly where he was, and his hopes had come true; the twins were back in the central part of earth and, as fate would have it, were just on their way to a family residence to visit their Italian cousins. What kind of ingrate would he have been to decline such a tantalizing invitation?

His earlier musings had also been answered; the cousins were just as lascivious and insatiable hedonists as the twins. He really wouldn't be surprised if a closer look at their family tree revealed all manner of creatures like incubi and succubi, the magnetism and persuasion their magic exerted couldn't be human, at least Siren blood would explain it. He didn't think he'd manage to wear more than harem pants his entire stay here and even those were ripped from him at the next opportune moment. Not that he was complaining.

He dared anyone call purebloods stuck up now, what went on behind closed doors the plebeian rabble of light families and muggleborns could never even dream about. As he sat up he could only thank all gods that guided him to that particular reclusive wizarding resort in Bali as he once again found himself ensconced in a mouthwatering sandwich of debauchery and sin.

There sprawled on either side of him, lay two alluring bodies barely covered by the silk sheet that would make any model weep in envy. His eyes slid appreciatively over the rounded curves and taut muscles hidden under the sun kissed skin, eyes settling on a particular dark hickey that had the pit of his stomach stir... No! Bad Hadrian!

Mentally slapping himself, he averted his gaze before his libido fully awoke. Why, oh _why_ did they have to be so tempting even in their sleep? Hadrian whined inwardly. Something was just plainly wrong with the amount of pheromones those two not-veela's exuded even _without_ the sly amorous golden eyes on display that made them so irresistible they could seduce a priest to sin.

(He should know, as those two devils had delighted in making a game out of it during their joint travels. His own participation in said game was to be pointedly overlooked, he was still adamant that he was coerced besides it was only the one, as opposed their dozen.)

Last night the twins had been very enthusiastic and territorial, firmly claiming the last night as their's, and their's alone, not letting him rest a moment until the first signs of dawn approached. Despite that he knew them to be far from finished with him and if they should wake before he got out of here; there was no way he would be able to leave today as there was simply no denying those two anything not when they exploited every patch of sensitive flesh and put their sinful tongues to use. They had a talent in baring all hidden weaknesses and knew him long enough to know what buttons to push.

So no waking the sleeping devil or he may as well find himself tied to the bed if he wasn't careful here... not that he would actually mind once they had him that far, especially when their cousin Raul joined again.

Biting his lip to hold back a moan, he carefully shimmied out from beneath the sheets and carefully sliding from between the two bodies. Carefully sinking to his knees to slowly crawl over the inert bodies, doing all he can not to wake the pair. He was well aware that they were put out he was leaving so soon, their appetites nowhere near sated...

A hand suddenly grabbed his thigh in a firm grip causing his heart to skip a beat and his body to freeze. Oh Morgana…

The strong, long fingered hand clenched around his pale flesh and Hadrian barely dared to look back. Peeking over his shoulder he was never as glad for reflexive actions as now as both were still firmly asleep, despite the wayward grasping appendage. Extracting himself was trickier but three minutes later he was closing the bedroom doors with a relieved sigh, Alissia and Adrian still firmly in Morpheus arms.

Now, if only he knew where they were holding his wand and clothes ransom, he doubted they forgot to order their elves not to assist him in that endeavour they were far too devious to leave him a loophole.

The next moment he found his back slammed against the wall, and a knee slipping between his legs parting the airy that suddenly felt far too exposing despite it's long wide sleeves and calf length. The large towering build casting a dark shadow over his diminutive form as he was caged in, a muscular golden arm on either side of his head.

He froze in indecision as the Adonis in front of him leant closer, a stubbled cheek scratching his smooth one as it slid against his own awakening his nerve endings as hot breath fanned over his neck, his body drew taunt as his sensitive ear was assaulted with a huff of hot breath and a brush of wicked lips, before he felt a strong muscled tongue lick along his ear sending a shudder down his spine at the sudden wet sensation.

"Buongiorno gattino, where are you going so early?" the deep voice was like velvet over dark chocolate and he recognized it intimately, with the dual thrill of anticipation and dread.

Hadrian choked on a curse.

Out of all the extended family it just had to be him.

"Raul." The name was caught between a groan and a moan, it just had to be the most irressitable of all to set upon him this morning with just the flimsy over robes and the mans light linen trousers as barrier between them. Mother Magick have mercy upon him and let his will stay strong.

Hadrian swallowed thickly. "I need to get back home."

There it was; that dark eyebrow lifting and that manipulative sparkle in the golden eyes that the family seemed to share along with their sexual appetite. "Without clothes or wand."

He knew it!

Well two can play that game. Settling his hands on those firm pectoral he peeked up through his dark lashes into the almost black eyes of the Italian, hitting him with the full brunt of the I'm-cute-and-naive-and-you'll-indulge-my-every-whim look courtesy of the greenest eyes ever, thank you mom. "You wouldn't be willing to help me locate them?" he asked innocently.

"And face the wrath of the twins ire? I'll need a little more incentive than just sweet words." Raul rumbled, nuzzling into the column of pale neck.

Damn that family! That even worked on Sirius every time and he was a first generation Marauder and master of the Puppy-dog eyes. He didn't know if he should weep in frustration(yes that was mostly sexual at this point as that leg hadn't stopped rubbing) or add it as a point to their unique charm

Absentmindedness around a predator on the prowl was a very dangerous thing indeed as any lapse of attention was ruthlessly exploited. So it was only natural that while the little British lord with the perfect behind was fighting with his own annoyance and reluctant admiration, Raul slid even closer and used the inattention to his full benefit; moving his hand to slide the kimono styled bedroom robe off a creamy slender shoulder and descending upon the new expanse of exposed flesh eager to leave a mark on the smooth canvas.

A guttural groan was ripped from still swollen lips as teeth nipped and skin was assaulted by tugs and strong languid sucks that seemed to rob Hadrian of the last of his willpower. So good...

A knee rose and rubbed up his inner thighs making his way up to Hadrian's vulnerable crotch. His breath hitched at the insistent attention and his entire body erupted in a series delightful shivers and sweat beaded at his back with the effort it too to hold himself back, but hormones were a traitorous thing and not easily repressed when the male opposite let loose his magical aura that gleefully assaulted his senses in tandem with the wicked mouth and naughty leg. It was simply too much and his back arched until his chest rubbed into the naked muscled one in front of him, his body drawing taut like a coiled spring.

Hands clenched convulsively, trapped between their chests. The rough texture of the stone behind him was cool and hard against the heat bearing down from the front, it's abbrasive nature even penetrating through the fabric of the robe as he was pressed against it, scratching his back in a delicious friction with every movement of the larger body made as it worked itself between his legs forcefully pushing them apart further for better access. Through all that Hadrian could do naught but cling on for dear life as he was skillfully unbalanced.

His legs shook and then collapsed under him no longer able to carry him, it didn't matter as large hands grabbed his buttocks and pulled him closely to the firm body reacquainting him intimately with the burning rod of hard flesh that had branded his insides so nicely and was now searing his stomach and crotch even through the barrier of fabric. A small mewl escaped his lips as he was reminded of the full 6.7 inches of it... those oh so delightful 6.7 inches with their 5 inch girth that had managed to make him lose all feeling in his legs barely 30 hours ago upon their exciting first meeting..

"Aren't you forgetting something gattino. There is a five hour difference." Words had never sounded so sweet.

Hadrian stilled as he processed those words before all tension and resistance left his body as his demeanour did a complete 180; stiff became languid and arms that had been pushing away pulled closer. It was like a switch was flicked and suddenly the cornered prey ascended to predator. "In that case…" Hadrian purred sultrily, all the lust he had been forcefully holding back, now clearly shown in the dilated half lidded eyes. He latched onto the pulse point above the collarbone laving it with his tongue before sucking on the hot flesh enjoying the slightly salty taste and Raul's hitch in breathe even more.

"I will gladly concede to your demands. We have five hours; make them count."

Raul chuckled deeply his chest rumbling with the deep sound. With a spell his entire family had mastered to perfection by the time of their early teens he had the little lordly kitten shivering and ready with a pass of his finger. Emerald eyes glazed over, sight lost in a moment of acute bliss as the dark magic swept through him, large hands tightened around pale flesh as linen pants vanished and Hadrian surrendered with reckless abandon and a pleasure filled moan as he was pierced to the core.

Oh sweet Merlin, he didn't think we'd be able to walk out of here after all.

 **-)§(-**

 _ **Tuesday 29th September, 2009**_

"My lady! I return baring gifts." Hadrian sang, as he practically skipped over to his friend 5 hours, 40 minutes and several restorative and pepper-up potions later, floating in a haze of satisfaction and pleasurable aches in all the right places.

Accurate to his predictions it was also only thanks to a certain potion that he could feel his legs again although he'd enjoyed the accompanying massage in the tub.

Jenna lifted her brow at the cat-that-ate-the-canary aura that oozed from the male, then looked at the paper bag set in front of her. "You'll have to do way better than that. You, my date to one of the most pretentious events, left me and I had to deal with Scum bucket Fell alone."

"I'm sure you gave him a run for the money."

"But now I'm the pathetic spinster that couldn't get a date. And I actually had a date with _him_ yesterday."

"I can't take credit for that, that was all you." Hadrian pointed with a chuckle leaning against the tree in favour of exposing his sore behind with the hard surface of the wooden bench. "Though going by that face it can't have been that bad/ it couldn't have been that bad from the look on your face." Hadrian trilled, "But for leaving you alone for it yesterday, I'll be at standby for the next one; I could turn up and make him deeply uncomfortable, just give me a call." He added with a smirk.

"Tempting, you're good at shredding egos with your mere presence."

Hadrian laughed and dropping a flourished bow. "Too gracious, my Lady, too gracious."

"Aww why can't you be a few years older, I could have used you earlier in life" Jenna groaned.

"You have me now," he patted her shoulder. "Just think of the future; when in a few years you're surrounded by the ugly mugs of everyone else you'll still be able to admire my handsomeness in full bloom." he stated with a shit eating grin.

That earned him a smack and he went off to find Tyler, he was all for supporting the Team but there were only two people he was allowing near his car. He only had to make sure no slags got too close and got any idea's; he'd seen that Tiki girl and no way was someone with those claws getting close to his baby, really what they were thinking such long nails at a car wash, nothing but fluff in their brains...

He smirked at the delighted squeal that erupted behind him as Jenna's curiosity won out and she finally peaked into the bag. He knew she'd come round.

That a few minutes later the same sound emitted from a male-come-puppy, startling all those present, was no surprise to him. Tyler stood beside him with a smirk as they watched a star-struck Matt approach the 1992 Jaguar E-Type Roadster, reaching out a trembling hand to touch the cream finish as his eyes devoured every detail of the crimson interior.

"It's times like this that I feel embarrassed of my friend." Tyler muttered with a sigh, averting his eyes as he watched caught between amusement and horror. Apparently five minutes of his best friend fangirling over a hunk of metal was Tyler's limit.

"What put you in such a good mood to allow _that_?" Tyler remarked as they turned to see Matt flitting about, practically hugging the hood stroking over it's smooth surface like one would a lover… okay it wasn't that bad, but it might as well have been from his blissed out expression as Matt finally slid behind the drivers wheel and turned the key in the center ignition and the engine roared to life. Honestly it was mortifying to watch, especially so for Tyler who had known the guy his whole life.

"I found out certain traits do run in families and thank all the gods above for that." Hadrian returned with a serene face before clapping the broad shoulder. "Keep an eye on him will you before his heart gives out." pointing with his thumb over his shoulder to the fawning Matt who's cheeks were looking rather rosy, he did not want to deal with that paperwork.

From behind him he heard Tyler groan as another disturbing cackle sounded over the purring of the engine from the overly ecstatic Junior.

Yes that's him he lived to spread the love and joy around.

He just lived to spread the love around

 **-)§(-**

"What am I hearing about sex in a miniwan?! Jenna you held out on me!" Hadrian accused, popping out from nowhere startling the two, his ears having instantly perked up at the filthy tidbits being bandied about. He narrowed his eyes at her in censure, "As a friend you're supposed to _share_ the smut especially those with celebrities!

Jenna scoffed. _"Please._ He's news reporter on a small time local TV Station not a celebrity."

"Ouch, and I thought yesterday went well." Logan muttered.

"He's the town celebrity in such a isolatory place like Mystic Falls it's the same thing." Hadrian waved off before turning to the so titled town-celebrity, looking him up and down appraisingly, his eyes gaining a mischievous twinkle that had Jenna groan.

"So you must be the infamous Logan." Hadrian grinned offering his hand.

"So she mentioned me?" he smirked, while he shook the smaller males hand eyes sliding over the old family ring in interest.

"Oh yes, how you deserve to rot in hell, how she wished your dick fell off, how she would love to take a baseball bat to your face and how dare you have such perfect hair that she just wanted to keep sinking her hands into!" Hadrian listed off his fingers in a deadpan before grinning at the look on Logan's face as Jenna got progressively redder until she resembled a tomato. "You were one of her favourite drunk rage topics."

"Hadrian!"

Hadrian dodged with a wicked laugh at her flaming face. "Again with the violence Jen."

"Perfect hair, huh?" Logan asked with a smug smirk.

Hmm that's my cue to go." Hadrian proclaimed dancing away with a skip in his step.

He your new boyfriend a bit young don't you think?"

"Me and Hadrian no. He's sweet and the best friend one could have and _definitely_ cougar bait but not boyfriend material. He can party like no one else and is king when it comes to trouble as he practically breathes sex, smut, party and mischievousness. He needs a stamina monster for a partner before he'll ever settle down."

Logan whistled looking after the cheerful Brit. "Not what I expected, I heard he regularly goes to the flee markets with the Mayors wife."

"It's the other way around, Hadrian goes to get finds for his shop and Carol recently discovered her passion through the historical Society. I only went with them once, they make a terrifying team," Jenna shuddered, "I really pitied those people they haggled with they looked like they had their soul sucked out before those two were done." She remembered polite smiles hiding razor sharp tongues, half catatonic vendors and two demons getting away with almost robbery in broad daylight. No never again. Not even the following five star food at their celebratory lunches was worth it, their innocent cheerfulness and smug satisfaction was somehow even more frightening than watching them in action when one knew _why_ they were in such good mood.

Logan watched as the titled young Brit was hailed by an exasperated Lockwood heir, laughing merrily as Tyler gestured wildly in agitation and dragged him over to the other end of the parking lot. He really wasn't what he expected from the snippets he heard form the council members. He knew that the mayor didn't like him much other than being a gold mine but Carol Lockwood... Logan remembered vividly the tear-down his father got when he pointedly remarked upon the Brits absence from the Founders Ball only to have her jump down his throat and tear him apart for even implying the boy might be a vampire. Ruthlessly pointing out that not only had he been here since may already months before the first vampire activity but had also been there earlier to help her set up the antiques because they were all useless - of course not in so many words but the scathing tone and intent was clear - the southern woman made her opinion known.

It was good the male seemed to approve of him as it would make things much easier on him.

 **-)§(-**

Unfortunately the levity of that day didn't last long as a black cloud seemed to drown the Gilbert home with all the angst a certain teenage female put out and while he couldn't have cared a lick if the house burned down with them in it that statement was falsified by the fact that Jenna lived in that house too.

Although Jenna made all the effort especially for Jeremy's birthday her efforts were in vain as the birthday boy in question was too busy wallowing in the absence and strange behaviour of his druggie girlfriend to appreciate it.

Then there was the mess of Logan just taking off to Florida without a word...

Really the timing was the worst as Jenna was already miserable about being a failure as guardian in a misguided belief of responsibility really that Tanner was lucky he was killed before Harry could get to him as he had already had a five layer plan of pure humiliation waiting for him, by the time he would have been through with him he'd have been a wreck. How dare that man mock his JenJen!

Seeing the cheerful and wild vixen of a friend so down in the dumps had seriously rained on his parade. It was upsetting seeing her in this state and it was all those ungrateful brats' fault. Did they ever consider what she gave up for them? Not only the golden years of her twenties but the opportunities, that Jenna even broke off her exchange program and returned from Prague early? _Of course not_.

They were the poor orphans that had just lost their parents so they could act however and demand whatever they wanted. Oh how much he wanted to hex the uppity brats, he preferred Tyler over them any day; he was an arrogant wanker with temper issues, but most of it wasn't his fault and then one had to consider he had to live with the Mayor, drunken abusive SOB that he was ugh! At least he always listened to his mother – when it wasn't about Vicky (really just how good was she between the sheets?) – and didn't throw a hissy fit because he wanted to go to a party despite it being traditional family night, then get his way only to call back whining for the ditched parents to come pick him up and then be the only one to mysteriously survive the car accident that killed both said parents. No that had been a certain doe eyed brunette with the name Gilbert.

If he had been her brother that slag would have been dead to him.

He was so down he didn't even feel like sex or partying and that was just a cardinal offense that begged for retribution. A vindictive gleam lit his eyes turning emerald to poisonous green.

For some unfathomable reason Jenna cared about her niece so he couldn't target her as he wanted, _but_ there were two others that were just as much to blame…

* * *

 ** _So finally a new chapter! Sorry people for the long pause but RL got in the way; first it was my birthday(I was one of the lucky people to get an 25 hour birthday this year as a present! so 1 hour more to recover though I was still completely useless for all of Sunday -.-" ) then halloween, visiting family... you get my drift._**

 ** _As an apology I made the chapter extra long, hope you liked it!_**

 **Review Answer Corner**

 ** _Thank you to all those who left a review it's always very encouraging that people actually show interest!_**

 ** _Guest: Sorry to say I never really watched smallville except some of the earlier episodes, so I can't imagine I'll ever write a HP/Smallville x-over and if I did I would pair Harry with Lex Luther and not Clark. Though I wish you luck in finding good stories in that direction._**

 ** _Elektra: I don't know how but despite my very limited french knowledge I understood your comment (I was feeling_ very _awesome after that). I'm glad you liked it and agree with you that Harry would suit an Original and I'm gearing to an end game in that direction but who it will be...well I'm keeping my options open and see how it flows._**

 ** _ANYWAY R &R PEOPLE!_**

 ** _I wanna know how good or bad I did on my first slash scene, I tried to dance the fine line between implied and explicit and still have it interesting to read._**

* * *

 ** _PS Also for those reading my Harry Potter story 'Blood Soul and Magic' I will continue it soon, just Dumbledore is getting on my last nerves at the moment and refuses to be written right, so I needed the break from that fashion challenged old goat before I did something regrettable (like throwing my inventory against the wall, I noticed it get's dangerous when it bounces_ back _._** =.=" ** _Who knew a hairbrush could be so dangerous? When I throw it against a wall almost 3 meters away I expect it to stay there and not break in half and shoot itself back at me and land onto the chair a bare 5 centimeters beside me *yes I nearly had a heart attack right there*) Unfortunately I can't continue until I've got his scene out of the way so I admit I'm stalling a bit._**


	4. 3 Vampire Meet Marauder

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Vampire Diaries**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 3:**_

 **Vampire...meet Marauder**

 _ **Thursday 15th October, 2009**_

 _Tock, tock, TOCK..._

Knocks echoed through the large empty house, sharp vampire ears easily hearing them from the library and over the crackle of the fire. Staring into the depths of his tumbler and into the amber liquid lit up by the glow form the fire, Damon Salvatore oldest living – relatively speaking – progeny that remained of the founder line, contemplated whether to ignore whoever it was at the door or making the effort to go see who this rare visitor was. In the end, after another few knocks, and his sharp hearing picking up the low murmur of voices decided to have a look after all, his interest piqued.

Setting his tumbler down Damon sped to the front door, and opened it with a pleasant smile upon his lips, the ever perfect host.

His greeting died upon his tongue, sharp ice blue eyes widening as he was overwhelmed by a vision of emerald; an emerald hue so clear and vibrant it put any gem to shame and for one endless moment they completely owned him.

It wasn't until the owner of these mesmerising eyes blinked that the spell was broken and he was able to break from his stunned surprise, letting his eyes take in the rest of this guest. Inky black strands of hair fell over smooth pale skin creating a stark contrast that was even more pronounced by his very sharp eyesight courtesy of his vampirism and only enhanced the regal tilt of high cheekbones. Rosy plump lips that he was curious to see swelled from rough kisses, a very appetising long pale column of neck that had his teeth on edge as his fangs itched to break skin and sink into the unblemished flesh where veins pulsed oh so enticingly… an adams apple bobbed as his next meal swallowed.

Damon blinked.

...Adams apple?

..

His eyes narrowed and took a metaphorical step back to notice that yes, despite delicate features and an understated sultry seductiveness; that was definitely a male.

The realisation cost him a long moment to grasp as his brain refused the proof it was presented. A calm steady heartbeat confirmed that it was indeed possible for a mere human man to look that beautiful.

Damon was well aware that he was vain, how could he not when it granted him so many boons, especially making it ridiculously easy to find company for a night and bite, but _this_ was just ridiculous; looking like that there would be no doors left closed.

Hell, without realising Damon himself had admitted the man – or was it boy? He didn't look out of school age – into his home without realising, the confident beauty had already crossed the threshold.

A soft musical voice drew his attention inside.

"I apologize for running a late but there were problems with the truck." The words were spoken in a distinct British accent that fit perfectly to his aristocratic features, Damon was reluctantly impressed.

Turning around he looked at the still unnamed beauty's backside, damn for being such a shortie – being several inches shorter than himself – he had long legs, his eyes lingered on the obviously expensive cut and material of those designer jeans that accented the legs and derriere in all the right places, fitting snug like a second skin. Now in his 145 long stint as a vampire he did not just waste away waiting for the day he could open that tomb; after meeting Sage, he had instead learned to revel in all that this earth had to offer and, since that very amorous male dancer in Turkey, that included men from time to time. No, he was no stranger to male flesh. Even if he was; the scent of that one would have been enough to overcome those kinds of inhibitions, not only was his natural scent a sensual mix of spices, fresh rain and many others that he was unable to name but translated as pure sex with the sweet promise of the ecstasy of carnal pleasure.

But that was only half the allure, as he had passed him, Damon got a good whiff from the scent wafting from that delicate exposed neck of his and had to struggle a moment to keep his instincts back as he salivated and his teeth ached with the need to rip and tear to get at the sweet ambrosia he was being taunted with. In all his years he had yet to encounter blood that smelled quite as sweet as this one.

Such a delectable morsel that had foolishly wandered into his lair...

Damon closed the door behind him, surreptitiously sliding the bolt in place, ignoring the men lingering in the driveway. He could deal with them later.

The emerald eyed male turned to him, after looking around for a moment confusedly, a question in his eyes. "Where's Zach? We had an appointment ten minutes ago."

Damon's eyes narrowed. Now how did his recluse of a nephew know someone like this? "Zach left town and left the house in my care, I'm his nephew. Damon Salvatore."

The male startled and looked at him with wide green eyes that reflected his surprise.

"Huh, Zach never mentioned any nephews."

 _Very_ hard for him to do when they had hardly had three conversations in total, Hadrian noted dryly in his mind, concealing his smirk, but what he didn't know wouldn't kill him. He watched the vampire before him tense and sent him a cheeky smile, "Then again I can't really comment on that. I doubt my aunt or uncle will ever admit to anyone about my existence now that I'm gone from under their roof."

It was said with all the innocence a teen could muster while thinking of the misery of others.

"You didn't get along?" Damon raised an eyebrow, using the distraction to prowl closer.

Hadrian laughed and cheerfully twirled to inspect the craftsmanship of the wood panelling. "Like you wouldn't believe. My aunt was a very bitter woman with a compulsive need for normalcy. It wasn't bad enough that her little sister was beautiful, talented and beloved by all; she even married into the peerage, while she married a man that looked more like a walrus than man. That she had to raise me and had no access to the huge fortune she didn't know the true extent of was the last drop into the already overflowing glass. It didn't help any that I turned out like this."

Damon was stopped in his advance by the mischievous smile directed at him as the male suddenly whirled around from admiring the craftsmanship of the wooden panelling.

"Outshining her blob of a son in even her delusional distorted image of him, being bloody seductive and shamelessly bi…yeah that didn't go over well. Compulsive need to fit in the mould remember." The British boy added with a smirk.

"What's she doing now?" answering the smirk with one of his own, only peripherally interested but it served it's purpose, as he closed the distance further as the little morsel kept talking.

"Well since she ran around spreading rumours about me attending St Brutus for the criminally insane while I was actually in a private school my parents had put me down for since my birth. Rising and making connections…" Hadrian shrugged with a blasé attitude before he turned to give the incognito vampire a wicked smile over his shoulder, eyes sparkling. "Well she simply died of envy."

Damon smirked, now this was a human he could tolerate, not bad to look at a sense of humour he could appreciate and if his blood tasted anything like it smelled, he might keep him around for a while, he was classes above blond Barbie anyday.

He paused as he was suddenly faced with a very serious face the chatter from just a moment gone and replaced with a businesslike demeanour with an abruptness it nearly gave him whiplash.

"Now, since Zach is gone, I assume he informed you of today before he left, right?"

"I'm afraid not."

Hadrian frowned. "How peculiar, he knew I was coming today."

"Yes well it was unexpected. The opportunity was short notice and left little time to deliberate."

Hadrian hummed, his gaze was steady before the flippancy was back. "Oh well, I'm only here for the pickup anyway, the money has already been transferred and all papers are signed, I'm sure you can handle this."

Damon gritted his teeth in annoyance, just what did that foolish nephew of his do?

Adding to his aggravation was that this sensual male seemed to be completely immune to his charm; always side stepping his advance with a skill he was starting make him doubt if he was truly as oblivious as he appeared to be, nor did he cave like a stack of dominoes and spill his heart out despite the promising start.

He wasn't liking this situation at all, being caught out in the dark like this, he was one step away from just compelling the sparkly eyed young human and enjoy himself for the rest of the day. Who knows he might keep him for longer if he was good enough he was sure Katherine would enjoy him before they left. Good thing Stefan was at school and generally too busy brooding and moping around after his break-up with Elena to notice much else.

"Thank you for the confidence." Damon retorted dryly, before he made another attempt at fishing for information, luck was on his side as, as beautiful as he may be, he seemed to be blessed with the attention span of a goldfish as he was already flitted to another object and was inspecting a bust of some previous Salvatore. He was not ready to admit defeat yet. "So how did you meet Zach? He's not normally one for social gathering."

"Hmm? Oh, I lived here for about a week before I could move into the house, it was more comfortable than living in between boxes." He wrinkled his nose in distaste, before getting distracted by the wrought iron chandelier. "It's how I knew to approach Zach as I already saw the worth. I'm glad he agreed."

"I'm sorry to say I have no idea what you're talking about and what kind of deal you made with my uncle." How it burned to have to admit that by everyone else he would already have their half life story thrust upon him with little effort but this pint sized Brit remained frustratingly vague the crucial information always just out of reach.

The green eyed male startled at his words, before emerald eyes widened to seemingly impossible proportions.

"How incredibly rude of me, I'm Hadrian Black owner of Black's Antiques and Restoration. Relatively new resident in town." Out of nowhere, he produced a business card in a fluid motion and handing it over to the vampire.

"You look rather young for the owner of a store."

"Between emancipation and my shrew of an aunt, jumping across the pond was infinitely more appealing."

"What about High school?"

"Bleh who in their right mind would willingly go through that," Hadrian shuddered. "A week and either I or everyone else would be dead."

Even in this situation, Damon found himself amused.

Hadrian pulled out a sheaf of papers and envelopes, handing them over to the curious vampire who took them and scanned them over, his jaw tightening when he reached a long list of antiques and furniture that according to these papers now belonged to the British aristocrat in front of him. His face darkened.

How dare Zach just sell Salvatore belongings! If he wasn't already dead he would kill him for this; the little traitor had only been allowed to live here, he didn't own it more than on paper in reality it was him and in some parts Stefan that ensured that the Salvatore's stayed in wealth – which was made very easy with liberal use of compulsions.

Yet there it was black on white, Zach had sold over seventy antiques for a substantial sum of money and as much as it annoyed him; it was all legal. To him it looked like his dear nephew had been planning to make a run for it, the money going into Zach's personal account in the Bahamas he had, until this moment, had no idea even existed. That little, ungrateful, backstabbing weasel…

Worse, this was actually ironclad. There was no way he could renege on it not unless he had Zach here personally to break it and pay the fines, but since he was really six feet under and not simply out of town as he'd claimed, that was out.

Even beyond the grave he was proving to be a nuisance.

That left him with his vampiric talents… thank god he was no longer trapped in human constraints. It made the complicated so much simpler.

Damon sped forward until he stood directly in front of the smaller male, catching his shoulder in a firm grip to keep him in place as he stumbled in shock. Looking deep into those startled emerald orbs, his pupils dilated. "There is a mistake on the contract, Zach Salvatore's signature is missing, making it void until he does sign it."

Which would be never, as he was _dead_.

He was waiting for the male to nod so he was surprised when the papers were grabbed from his hands with an exclamation of "What?!" and the male slipped from his grip and marched over to the window where there was better light, narrowed green eyes flying over printed words as Damon could only watch dumbly.

There it is!" Hadrian crowed releasing a sigh of relief marching over and shoving the documents under the vampire's nose breaking him out of his stunned daze.

Damon's eyes narrowed into slits, there was only one explanation for this;

" _Vervain_ …"

"Pardon?"

"I said my bad I must have overlooked it." Damon stepped back, holding his hands up disarmingly, his dark thoughts hidden behind a convincing smile.

Yet before he could act on them, the ensuing silence was disturbed by the ringing of a phone, and before Damon could think to stop him; the small male whose life was hanging by a thread had already answered with a quiet "excuse me".

Damon wanted to groan the moment he recognised the voice on the other end, it just had to be a council member.

"Yes Carol?" the boy answered with a huge grin upon his lips lighting his face up in simple joy at the sound of voice on the other end.

" _Hadrian dear, are you still coming over this evening for dinner?_ "

"Where's your husband?" he drawled.

" _He's out of town for business_." There was a faint trace of amusement in the Mayor Wife's voice.

Hadrian grinned. "Then I'd love to come! You must be one of the only women in this town who can cook, so I'll gladly accept your hospitality."

" _You flatter me, like always_."

"Unfortunately not, my dear mayor's wife; the women of this town are bereft of culinary talent with you as the only glowing beacon to my abused stomach."

The only answer was delighted laughter. He checked his watch, "I'll come around early. I'm estimating around two hours or so, as I'm still held up at the Salvatore's collecting the antiques Zach promised but it seems he left town and neglected to inform his nephews of anything."

" _Truly? How irresponsible of him_ ," Mrs Lockwood remarked with slight irritation showing in her tone, " _I've also tried to call him numerous times these last weeks but he never responded._ "

"Yes, fortunately, his presence isn't required and his nephew Damon has taken it upon himself to stand in his stead."

" _At least one in that family then_."

"I'll finish this as soon as I can and then head over." Hadrian bid her goodbye with a smile.

Well shit.

Damon wanted to bang his head against the wall in frustration, but preferably the head of that backstabbing nephew of his, who persisted in being a pain even beyond the grave, that was _not_ how it was supposed to work. Once dead, they usually stayed out of his hair and he could forget they ever existed.

Yet here he was.

With a few careless words, the Brit had not only tied Damon's hands in regards to permanently getting out of Zach's machinations but ensured he'd walk from the house, life intact. It wasn't bad enough that he was practically jail bait in vampire terms and ruined the fantasies of tasting that mouthwatering blood in the foreseeable future but he also as good as snapped the cuffs on Damon himself, all with that one phone call.

This morsel was turning out to be more than he can chew.

The 171 year old Salvatore felt a shiver of apprehension when the tiny teen turned around with a far too bright grin…

He was too old for this shit.

* * *

 _ **Here's the opening to our Marauder's first appearance to the supernatural of Mystic Falls you'll see what all Harry has in mind next chapter**_

 _ **Read and review people!**_

 **Review Answer Corner:**

 **Dahik:** _ **I always love seeing readers thoughts on pairings as it shows me how my HP is perceived. You are right that Hadrian is hard to control but maybe the future partner finds that exciting... as to Elijah's planned betrayal of his brother that will definitely push all his buttons even with Jenna a prospective victim but we'll have to see if he can make a turn around in Harry's eyes...**_

 **Lilypad1820:** _ **Really your review made me so happy I think every writer want's to receive reviews like your's! Must say I'm unfamiliar with those books as soon the world of fanfiction has me in it's grasp me actually reading books has become far too seldom, maybe a blessing in disguise as my room was getting rather cramped with all the books that started to tower in the corners. (Advice to all book lovers; a single shelf above your headboard is not the place to store your books, I learned that the hard way =.=" )**_

 _ **And you can bet anything that Harry isn't going to let Elena dance circles around his bestie like she does in cannon, nuh uh. She'll come to learn that...eventually. *evil smirk***_


	5. 4 Robbery In Broad Daylight

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Vampire Diaries_**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 4:_**

 **Robbery In Broad Daylight**

 ** _Thursday 15th October, 2009_**

What followed was truly a whirlwind, as soon as Hadrian ended the call he opened the door and admitted his waiting workers and then walked from room to room and pointed at choice furniture and antiques that were promptly boxed up and carried out, and soon another car arrived and more men trooped into the house to follow the British teens bidding as he commanded them around with the authority and bearing of a general on a battlefield.

There was no halting it.

No hesitation. No mercy.

He divided and conquered. The halls, the parlours, the library, priceless Persian carpets, tapestries, lamps, vanities, vases, first editions… nothing was safe as they cut their way through and at the point of it all the British Lord moving ahead like an unstoppable force of nature, cheerfully taking possession of all he took a fancy to.

Through it all Damon could only watch his usually quick brain refusing to respond properly as the rampage continued and piece upon piece was carried away like spoils of war, he watched with his hands tied, as the boy did his ancestors proud and showed the ruthlessness of the British Empire. There was no denying his regal bearing in the way he moved and directed those under him with an effortless grace and ease that Damon hadn't seen since the turn of the before last century familiar with the assured stance the wealthy land owners often used to display but he even made them look like bumbling farmers. Damon had missed it due to his innocent air but it was all there in the haughty tilt of his head, the way he moved with a natural grace that families used to hire tutors who desperately tried to beat into their aristocratic charges what came natural to this boy, his regal gait would have had them green with envy. Since the time of globalisation he hadn't seen such a noble yet predatory grace in a human, the brisk walk of businessmen having eradicated the languid arrogance of those born with a silver spoon in their mouth, the rich brats of today simply didn't compare.

It would have been entrancing if he wasn't feeling the brunt of it so acutely; not even Damon's favourite armchair in the library had been spared.

This resulted in a highly disturbed vampire who in the first time since decades felt powerless, as he found himself trapped within the same constraints normal mortals had to live through each day of their life. No killing, no solving obstacles with the dilation of an eye, just plain old charisma that was deflected without so much as a blink.

He didn't like it, no not at all.

It was like his own personal form of torture.

There was one thought though, that spread a grin on his lips and let his tense muscles relax; he hardly cared about this house other than that it was his, a few pieces of furniture missing here or there wasn't any skin off his back. It was mainly that it was Zach's doing that had him riled up, but really, he had no ridiculous sentimental attachment to any of it; he was only here until he had Katherine. Once he had her he would have better things to do than waste any more of his time thinking about this miserable town.

But Steffie was different.

Hoarder and sentimental fool that he was, he regarded this as his home despite the fact that they had never grown up in it and had barely ever spent more than a few short months in it… coming home to find it in this state was going to drive him up the wall. The best part being; this time Stefan couldn't blame it on him, he was completely innocent for a change.

It was that moment, he decided to lean back and let the little Brit commandeer his troops, watching the organised chaos unfold with a smirk. This one time he couldn't wait for Stefan to get back from school.

It was as the they marched upstairs and Stefan's door was cracked open that his face lit with unholy glee as he followed, eyes alight with anticipation for the imminent pillaging of Steffie's room.

Really it was his own fault.

Had Stefan locked his door like a reasonable vampire (i.e. him) during his long periods of absence and not been his usual naïve self of sunshine, daisies and snacking on bambi, his hoard of junk would still be waiting for him after school.

It just went to show how beneficial mistrust is and how very misplaced any hint of trust was in this family. Give only an inch and you'd be stabbed in the back, it was the way of the Salvatore family it seemed.

To make it even sweeter his room remained entirely untouched – it seemed his dear departed nephew did have a spark of self preservation underneath his traitorous shell as, while not attached to junk like his pack-rat of a brother, it was more the principle of things that would have seen Damon hunt him down for even _thinking_ of touching his personal belongings and getting away with it.

But that was him, Saint Stefan would have tried his best to stop him and throw another of his hypocritical tirades at him while trying to stab him in the back with _another_ vervain dart… so it was with the utmost joy that he helped the little-Brit-on-a-mission ransack the room as, surely, _Stefan wouldn't mind_.

His grin was nasty as he rolled up his sleeves and jumped into the fray; It was time the room was overhauled anyway, it was getting musty in there...

 **-)§(-**

Unfortunately for Damon who would have loved to see his brothers face upon coming home and finding the room empty, Zach only had the guts to bargain a few away so the little British male only had a contract for those two and a few knickknacks and showed open distaste for the rest of his brothers inventory although Damon drew amusement from the way he turned up his nose upon the offer, his pouty lips pulling into a moue of disgust, eyeing the offered lamp with a look of utmost distaste.

It didn't stop Damon from cheerfully lending a hand going as far as carrying out a nice old chest personally, after a half hidden vanity was unearthed among Stefan's junk and carried out by the workers.

Who knows, maybe he would do an extra sweep of it when the humans were gone, just to see his face. Hopefully then the endless whining about him killing Zach would finally end.

It was to his unending disappointment, that the end of it the room stayed mostly intact as the Brit wrinkled his nose in disgust at the majority of Stefan's furniture even when Damon offered for free, the little Lord proclaiming the room to be the most boring and uninspired in the entire house.

Damon hadn't been able to stop his laugh even if he tried, at the oddly endearing image of snobbery. In a case of wonderful irony and turnabout, _his_ room had been the focus of much wide eyed awe and some enthusiastic gushing which he accepted with gloating smugness, especially when his king sized bed had garnered the most of it and had subsequently been examined from all angles and gushed over. It would have only been better if he could have convinced the little Lord into it but one couldn't have it all, so he indulgently allowed the male to fawn over the carvings and craftsmanship, all the while plotting to get him into it eventually.

Better yet, in the course of the afternoon it became clear that there was one person in this little dive of a town that his brother had not charmed, it seemed it was not only Stefan's room that the little Brit found so unpalatable.

"No more I've already heard enough of him from Jenna, it's far more entertaining to watch her drunken tirades of Scum Fell." Hadrian had groaned, waving his pen about dismissively as conversation edged towards the youngest Salvatore

It was also soon after that Damon's curiosity was finally sated as they stood in the noticeably emptier entrance hall as Hadrian worked through the list one last time before leaving.

"Zach sold you tea?" Damon repeated skeptically.

"Mm hmm, I noticed his fondness for herbs during my stay here and we got talking, in the end he offered me a special Salvatore blend of tea I've been hooked ever since. When I moved out he sold it to me in bulk after I became aware of the depth of depravity of Mystic Falls and their abysmal attempts at tea. He was my angel saving me from the depths of hell and granting me God's greatest gift."

Damon blinked as he watched the Brit literally light up and the air about him sparkle as his face transformed into one of absolute peaceful bliss.

…

Oh-kay~. Memo to himself; no mentioning tea in front of crazy Brits.

At least it now solved the mystery of the vervain. His eyes narrowed.

His foolish nephew's betrayal reached further than he'd thought, not only was he growing and hoarding the highly poisonous plant but also distributing it amongst the townspeople. Who knew how many he had supplied with vervain? It was dangerous as he had no idea who was a walking uncompellable minefield.

How annoying.

He would have to be even more careful in the future if he wanted to keep his impeccable image. Until he had Katherine back, he would have to play nice, no guarantees for after though.

Now to make sure the bestie of the mayor's wife was as clueless as he appeared;

"I always thought of Zach to be more of a coffee guy, I didn't even know there was tea in the house."

Hadrian hmmed absently diverting his attention to the last of his men carrying a cardboard box outside glancing inside before nodding it off and allowing them to tape it shut before taking it to the truck, noting down the item carefully in his notes. "Zach sold me a self-made blend of herbs for my tea, not a pre-packaged one. You have no idea how hard it is to find a satisfactory blend in this coffee infested land of heathens." Hadrian intoned in distaste.

At least that was something.

It was silent as Hadrian finished up, but then turned back biting his lip.

"Now that Zach's gone, you wouldn't, per chance, be willing to continue his tea trade?"

"Nope, like I said there's no tea anywhere in this house."

Hadrian's face fell, if it hadn't been vervain they were talking about, his intense disappointment would have been almost comical. "He didn't leave behind a recipe either?" he asked in a last ditch effort, big hopeful eyes blinking up at him.

"I'm afraid not."

Hadrian rocked back at the remorseless refute, his hands clutching his chest dramatically and face contorted in mute horror, "How crushing for my British soul."

Damon watched in amusement as the male staggered back and walked off without a word of farewell, teetering down the driveway on unsteady feet. All the while grumbling under his breath;

"I'll have to ration it carefully. Thank god I bought it in huge bulks it should last me months if I ration. Where am I going to get drinkable tea now?" Damon's vampire hearing easily picked up the quiet whine and dark mutters on his way to the truck, "Uncultured barbarians the lot of them, drinking that bitter piss brew."

As amusing as it was, he'd have to warn Stefan that he'd have to be careful around him with his inhumanness; he went to all the trouble of convincing the town the Vampire threat was over, he was not having his goody two-shoes of a brother ruin his efforts. He had to stay low until he had Katherine after all, what happened after was no concern to him he could slip up and go on one of his slasher benders for all he cared. Until then he could deal with Saint Stefan and keep the Ripper of Monterey firmly in the closet, the last thing he needed was Lexi coming and poking her nose in his business again.

He watched in amusement as the Brit climbed up into the shotgun of the truck requiring a small hop and a helping hand of one of his workers to actually get in. A half-hearted wave from the pouting teen later, he finally had them gone and off his property.

Now about Steffie's room…

 **-)§(-**

What Damon didn't see was the wicked grin on 'the little Brit's' face that had the two workers smile in amusement as they drove away. The grin only got sharper and broader as they spotted a certain brunet on the road going the opposite way five minutes later, the green eyed wizard sending a the person a jaunty salute through the windshield barely keeping in his cackles until he was sure to be out of earshot. A moment later he apparated out of the truck leaving behind two exasperated squibs and the of cackles that could only bring misery and calamity to it's target. The remaining two workers sighed, when their boss mentioned an important high priority job, they hadn't exactly expected their afternoon would consist of robbing a rich vampire blind, but they were used to it, working for the Blacks was always an _experience._

At least it was an interesting story to bring home.

Back at the Salvatore's there could be no amusement found at least not from the view of a certain younger brother who had stepped into his house and instantly felt unsettled, it had been far too quiet usually he was always greeted and then mocked when he came home from spending a day at school especially recently since he and Elena split up. Yet today Damon was very suspicious in his absence and that was very ominous as it meant he had something bigger planned. It was not until he absently tried to put his keys down and they clattered to the floor did he notice what was wrong in the picture. It didn't take long to find his brother sitting in front of the fire enjoying his drink as if nothing was wrong.

"What were you thinking letting someone walk off with half the inventory?!" for a moment Stefan thought he heard wrong but one look in those mocking icy eyes was all he needed. "How can you be this irresponsible?!"

"If you have to blame someone then blame yourself and Zach if you hadn't gone all moral on me and locked me up Zach would still be alive to sort this mess out. The boy is consuming vervain – also our stupid nephew's doing –

That sounds like the Damon way why didn't you?" Stefan mocked.

"You should be thankful brother. Because the Mayors wife knows he's been here as well as about the deal and if he disappears too we'll soon have the Council here with torches and pitchforks and it's bye bye High school life and staring across the classroom with mopey eyes at Katherine's copy all day."

There was a large crash as Stefan hurled his school bag at his gloating brother.

Stefan left before he did something he would regret, no matter how much he hated it Damon was stronger than him and without the necessary preparations he would lose, who knew what Damon would do to Elena when he wasn't there to protect her. He slammed the door to his room and could only stare.

"Where are all my things?!"

"Gone as you can see." Damon said nonchalantly appearing behind him with a smirk reproachfully eyeing the dusty floor where the contours of the once there furniture could clearly be seen "You should use the chance to clean."

"I know Zach he would never have sold all my belongings he's not like _you._ So what did you do with it?!" Stefan shook and tried very hard not to to give in to his rage and instincts and stake his brother right then and there.

"Au contraire – that's French btw – Zach sold two of your chests, a couple of your authentic period suits, two Persian rugs – one of which I distinctly remember buying myself off a vulpcious brunette some 80 years ago so was never _yours_ – the antique globus, the starchart, six of your first editions, as well as the rosewood escritoire I have no idea you had it was so covered in junk. So… you want to repeat your valiant defence? Go on, I'm all ears." Damon goaded with a nasty smirk at the look on his stupid brothers face.

"But Zach…"

"You will learn brother just because they're human doesn't mean they don't stab you in the back, that trait runs especially strong in the Salvatore line from our father to today." Damon said bitterly thinking of one specific Salvatore whose death had been far too quick and merciful for his likes.

Of course it went in one ear and out the other with Stefan, self-righteous as usual he didn't even consider his beloved older brother's words and sprang at Damon, who neatly sidestepped the attack.

"Where is the rest of it?!"

"It was a little musky, so I was kind enough to air it for you. You're welcome." Damon drawled with a smirk.

Stefan's head whipped around to his window to stare at the clouds that had dominated the sky all day and were now heavy with the foreshadow of rain. Throwing his brother against the wall with a venomous look he sped out the room to get his things before the inevitable down pour.

Damon still sitting slumped against the wall was silent, his face angled down and shaded by his hair, his shoulders shaking it almost looked like he was in pain before he released a low chuckle a sardonic grin on his lips as he listened to the front door being wrenched open and then slammed shut.

Really, no control over himself, that boy.

Flashing over to the window, Damon's sharp gaze followed the blurred form racing over the property, leaning against the frame he smirked and settled to watch his brother race around like a headless chicken and grow increasingly frustrated with each pass.

Ten minutes later he was still enjoying the show and his laughter must have disturbed Saint Steffie, as he froze in his frantic search and his head whipped in his direction to throw him a dark glare, his face changing as black veins crawled under his eyes as he vamped out in his anger.

"Oooh scary~." Damon cooed mockingly with a lopsided smirk full of provocation.

With a blink Stefan was gone and ten seconds later was back at his brother's throat, standing in his cleared room, the fabric of Damon's shirt in his tight grip.

"Where. Is. It?!"

"You weren't listening were you?"

"You lied."

"It's not my fault you're abysmal at hide-and-seek and managed to lose your entire inventory."

As he'd expected Stefan lunged forward and with his superior strength Damon easily took a tight grip on his arms and used the momentum to throw him over his shoulder and through the window pane with the accompanying sharp sound of breaking glass. Shards rained down on the concrete below, the tinkling overshadowed by a loud thump as Stefan landed on his back with a groan. Damon leaned forward and stared down at his brother's prone form before whistling.

"Ouch, sucks to be on a bunny diet. That must actually hurt."

Stefan growled lowly and stared up at his brother with a glower - oh if looks could kill... - only to falter when something wet hit his cheek. Blinking in shock, he stared dumbly as another a drop of water hit face closely followed by a third and fourth and and he realised, belatedly, that it was raining.

"Better hurry up brother or your junk will get a free wash as well." With a smirk he pointed up with his finger. Looking up he saw the dark clouds roiling directly above and …was that a lamp sticking out from the side of the roof?

...

Stefan's eyes widened at what he was seeing. He sped back to the lawn and saw that indeed his entire bedroom was arranged directly over his room.

"I told you~.", came the sing-song from above, "You just weren't looking close enough." Damon smirked before he disappeared from the window and back to the tumbler of fine bourbon waiting for him, leaving Stefan staring at the empty, ruined window with fire in his eyes.

That bastard!

What did he do in this life to deserve a brother like _that_! Stefan also blamed that antique dealer if he hadn't come poking around taking things he had no business to, he would be relaxing inside, he would be sleeping in a dry bed tonight and have dry clothes to wear tomorrow but that was all a pipe dream now as even his wardrobe hadn't been spared and was sticking to the roof tiles as the rain soaked the fabrics through even the clothes on his back weren't exempt.

He only wanted to start a new life here and live like a normal human teenager with Elena, but of course that was too much to ask. Instead of sitting inside, dry and peaceful, completing his homework like a normal teenager after school, he had to run around on his roof and frantically save all his scattered belongings from water damage.

(Well Steffie-poo you are a century old vampire playing at high school kid, there is no normal there.)

* * *

Meanwhile, the cursed out person who had started it all was rolling around on his living room floor laughing until only pained wheezes escaped his lips, as his sides cramped. Watery eyes fixed onto the middle of the room where a floating disk was projecting the interior of the Salvatore house and the image of two arguing brothers, more precisely; a stubborn Stefan actually wasting time insisting his brother help retrieve the furniture from the roof.

Really how stupid was he? When;

1\. It was Damon who had put it there in the first place, which in Stefan's convoluted mind seemed to equate it was Damon's obligation to help clean it up, too bad he disregarded the bad blood between them coming up with that piece of _brilliant_ (do note the sarcasm here) logic,

2\. Damon was clearly gaining an inordinate amount of sadistic satisfaction in seeing his brother run around like a headless chicken.

And 3. ,which should _really_ have already have ended this argument before it even began; not even three minutes ago Damon had stuck out his leg and pettily tripped up his brother as he sped past in haste, sending him and his load crashing to the floor with a harsh thud, the vampire face-planting on the hardwood floor.

Damon was actually earning himself brownie points here. Really the furniture on the roof… he _may_ have encouraged that with a few compulsions here and there, but all this entertaining egging on? _That_ was all Damon.

Hah! He'd known this would be good but had truly underestimated just _how_ much. Now that he had seen just how easy they were to rile up and how amusing their reactions were, he just designated them his next Stress Relief.

It's true it wasn't _just_ the allure of some judicious revenge and because he wanted those gorgeous antiques (for free!) that led him to the doorstep of the Salvatore Boarding House, but because; when two feuding and trouble-making vampires moved into town, the logical thing to do was install surveillance in every room of their lair.

For one such as him, who was basically in self imposed time out in regards to the magical and supernatural, it was only the natural response, not only to always be forewarned of any of their insidious plots but like he mentioned; self imposed segregation. Meaning; far less entertainment than he was used to especially in a small magicless town like this. So Two bickering vampires waltzing into town had been just what he needed. Even if he had no intention of getting involved whatsoever.

Still, he wouldn't be worthy of being the Marauder's legacy if he had simply stopped there. Along with the surveillance he had set remote, controllable mood modifiers, and no, he was not talking drugs here, but an actual spell not unlike the cheering charm only far more versatile; similar to that sparkly Twilight vampire it actually influencing emotions – it was as if he stuck a Jasper Cullen to every ceiling of the house.

Then came the less subtle easter eggs he had left all over the house; time delayed pranks of all varieties, so that there wouldn't be a moment of peace for the bloodsuckers in the upcoming weeks.

Just thinking about them going off had had him giddy and necessitated in full powered occlumenccy shields to keep his act going and contain his cackles.

He hadn't anticipated the pure entertainment factor, with a glance alone at the subtle tells and subtle cues of Damon alone his prankster senses had 'pinged' and he knew - he _knew_ \- that messing with them would be beyond delightful, as his inner Slytherin reared it's manipulative head and joined forces with his Marauder self to form the unholiest alliance of all.

A truly evil grin stretched his lips as his eyes lit up with wicked delight and he had to resist rubbing his hands together in a signature villain move of evil anticipation, as he had the most brilliant idea off all.

With the tools he already had - undetectable monitoring and mood altering charms - he could make something entertaining truly epic. He basically had all the tools he needed for his very own version of a authentic reality TV show the muggles seemed so crazy about, screw the Kardashian's he was not letting this golden opportunity go to waste! Where else was he going to find two feuding vampire brothers yet still stupidly insisted living in the same house, _and_ who had no idea of the wonders of the Wizarding World? That's right, Nowhere! No normal vampire was that daft.

And so the stage was set for his very own Big- No!, _**Vampire**_ Brothers!

Ah, he was going to have so much fun!

Withthe mood altering charms in place they were always under his mercy; should he feel really, _really_ bored and so inclined; he would be able to manipulate events to stir the cauldron even further. A little nudge and he could escalate a harmless disagreement into murderous rampage.

A demonic aura started to envelope the innocent looking teen that suddenly looked anything but, as a low 'fufufufu…' escaped him.

Dance, puppets, dance!

...

Huh, ' _Morals_ ' you say?

Basic human rights? They had none! They forfeited those when they decided to get on his last nerves. (Besides they were _vampires,_ not even magical vampires but muggle ones so far down the totem pole it wasn't even funny.)

In his opinion, if they were going to be a nuisance they would at least have the decency to serve as his entertainment, willingly or not.

But that was for later. Hadrian had also planted a multitude of that would make them see hell and keep them occupied for a couple of weeks.

That house was so steeped in prank traps that the waterproof scentless itching powder liberally coating Damon's bed and Stefan's wardrobe would be the least of their problems. The stuff was Demon Twins approved, which meant it was nastier than all other versions out there and nigh impossible to get rid off, soon they would be scratching themselves like apes with no end in sight.

It was a par of course that a corresponding mundane equivalent found itself into one of Stefan's drawers, tagged with a slight compulsion charm on it for Damon to find.

It was only the first of many awaiting them, the yawning jaw of the torturous pranking hell was opening it's maw for the two vampire brothers and there was no escaping it.

Fortunately his disk and surveillance was of the kind that not only showed real time but recorded as soon as someone stepped into it's radius so he wouldn't miss a second while he went his merry way.

By the time November rolled around he would have enough blackmail to last decades... **or** one of the two would be dead after either of them snapped. Bet's were still open on which one it would be.

Anyway…

That was for making Jenna endure Elena's piss-poor mood and erratic temper and forcefully dragging him from his I-was-fucked-so-hard-and-thoroughly-I-never-want-to-move-again-it-feels-so-good cloud.

He wasn't the legacy of the Marauders and silent partner of the devil twins for nothing. The humiliation of robbing those 170 year old muppets blind was just the beginning.

"Fufufufu."

Hadrian wriggled around on the floor rolled into a ball and giggling into his knuckles, if these giggles were less than wholesome and possessed enough of a unhinged quality to send a shiver of foreboding down spines, well, no one was there to call him out on it, as his Marauder blood went wild and his mind explored the long, _long_ list of all that was waiting for them, speculating who would trigger what. How delicious.

What a satisfying conclusion to a productive day.

* * *

 _ **Yes Hadrian went a bit off the deep end at the end there, but in his defence he had two very annoying weeks dealing with Elena's whining and moping via Jenna, a man that isn't a Salvatore can only take so much before they snap.**_

 _ **I hope you all enjoyed the first closer look at the Salvatore brothers.**_

 **If anyone has anyone has any particular ideas or suggestions on pranks they want either of the brothers to suffer do send them in a review as I'm considering inserting some snippets of their two weeks bearing the brunt of a Marauder's sadistic attentions.** _ **Just nothing too magical like the WWW canary creams as Hadrian can't reveal magic that openly.**_

 _ **Looking forward to the ideas n.n**_


	6. 5 Intermission

**_Disclaimer; I do not own Harry Potter or Vampire Diaries_**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 5 :_**

 **Intermission**

 ** _Wednesday 21st October, 2009_**

The modest two story house sat quiet and dark in the peaceful street, no light shining out of the windows like in the other houses left and right down the street as the day had crept into night and the sky was dotted by stars. Looking at it the house seemed empty the rooms deserted of life, despite the car in the garage. Had a burglar been tempted and actually made it past he would have been in for a rude awakening though as a small figure crept through the darkened hall polishing the metal painting frames muttering under it's breath, the words of 'pests' 'vermin' and 'filthy muggles' often uttered full of disgust, yes this servant in a foul mood having his master stay in a muggle hovel would have welcomed a little piece of filthy meat to take his frustrations out on and in fact kept a set of finely sharpened cutlery concealed in uniform pockets after the first of such happy occasions.

Alas the poor bloodthirsty house elf wasn't that lucky tonight and had to make do with aggressively attacking any speck of dirt.

A foul curse drowned the servant's own mutterings, echoing down the hall and followed by many more too dirty to even spell them, making Kreacher perk up and listen attentively at some even he had yet to hear. Master was so creative.

Kreacher never knew you could use a spoon for that, Kreacher would make sure to try the next time a vermin thought they could sneak past Kreacher to Master he would make sure to make Master proud and was eager to do everything to do so. Master was such a good Master much better than bloodtraitor that broke poor mistress' heart. With a happy humm the house elf scrubbed the surface with extra vigour.

A loud thump as a demonstration of formidable temper echoed through the house ended the diatribe, sparing the 'unorganised ancestors' and 'nuisance of bloodsucking leeches' further defamation of character and abuse via a filthy mouth. Following the sound into the dark living room would show it was indeed as empty as it had appeared from outside but still the low muttering could be heard. There in the far wall beside the fireplace was a small closet it's store slightly ajar and there set on the floor underneath a few hung coats was a single black dragonhide trunk that had seen better days, it's lid half open and spilling faint light into the dark closet.

It was there that the litany of displeasure originated.

Yes this was not a normal trunk but one belonging to a wizard and so magical in every sense of the word, if that meant said wizard wanted to have multiple compartments with one of them being his very own portable, top security study he could take with him on his travels...well he would have it. And have it he did.

Down a wrought iron spiral staircase into the innards of said trunk, one found oneself in the center of a very generous room with floor to ceiling bookcases, an unlit fireplace, a few portraits, a large desk leather chesterfield armchairs it was a homey room with an innate elegance that wasn't even diminished by being buried under layers of paper of what seemed like an explosion of parchments, as nearly every available space was occupied spilling from the large mahogany desk with thousands of drawers over the floor, ink stained, scribbled on, or just plain scrunched up and tossed to the side. All in all, it was impossible to tell that this was not a room in a manor but instead located inside such a nondescript storage vessel.

There sitting cross legged amongst the chaos was Mystic Fall's resident wizard, slumped over, words muffled as he repeatedly gave his forehead love taps via the floor, the very picture of defeat as frustration was in every line of his body.

He just didn't get it, he had the basics, he had the effects, he had done all the calculations and the runes were selected to perfection, but why didn't it work? Just what was the missing link?

With a sharp inhale he suddenly shot upright sending papers flying everywhere, his hand snatching a particular persistent one stuck to his forehead, head whipping around, emerald eyes sharp, as they fixed unerringly upon an open page of a book lying hazardously between the bookcase and the ladder. Scrambling across the small distance on all fours he snatched up the book and scanned it's page before furiously flipping through the pages before his face lit up in the perfect 'Eureka!' moment "That's it!"

Shooting to his feet he marched to his desk, quill flying to his open hand, and began scribbling away furiously like a man possessed, pink tongue peaking out from between teeth his face a mask of concentration.

Ten minutes later he finally dropped the quill from his cramping hand and slumped back in his chair and stretched his arms as far overhead as he could, Hadrian moaned as his spine popped before sinking into the leather upholstery with a sigh of satisfaction.

On his face was the unadultered bliss and arrogance of the cat that had finally gotten the canary, smugness oozing out of his every pore as he regarded his masterwork. At first this had been a concession, something he merely looked into, but after it being such a bitch... well, then it became _personal._

To think his misery started with one innocuous phone call weeks earlier, just a day after the festival.

~) _Flashback End_ (~

 _The call came whilst he got ready to head to his shop and already in a hurry from having slept in due the late night._

 _Hurrying through morning absolutions because one overslept, the last thing one wanted to hear was the phone ringing, Hadrian felt very justified in the venomous glare he sent the offending piece of technology, especially when he saw the name. A call this early from the man in charge of building his future home was never a good sign._

 _"Lord Black there seems to have been a disturbance at the construction site." Came the voice of Simmons his site foreman._

 _Yep. He knew it._

 _"What kind of disturbance?" Hadrian asked tying his tie in a neat knot, the phone wedged in place between shoulder and cheek._

 _"Someone seems to have been here and things were moved about and there's residue of multiple little campfires on grounds, there's also footsteps in the sand and soil."_

 _"Was anything damaged?"_

 _"No, nothing sir. All the materials are still safely stored away where they were left and the tarp was completely undisturbed."_

 _"Hmmm... The wards must have fallen because of the comet they were after all only a weak temporary solution. I've already ordered the ward stones from Gringotts. "_

 _"Should I call the Police?"_

 _"No need." Hadrian sighed straightening up from tying his shoelaces the old fashioned muggle way, "It must have just been some nosy teens checking out the construction site and probably drinking far from the watchful eyes of adults."_

 _"You don't think it were the vampires, right?" He glanced at the newspapers lying on the coffee table, the articles of attacks and missing people jumping out at him._

 _"Unlikely."_

 _He should look into wards that repelled vampires and other supernaturals too, or it could become a problem later, muggle repellent didn't seem to be enough in this town, he glanced at the local newspaper warning about animal attacks. Really could they be any less original any hunter worth their salt would be attracted like bees to honey._

 _He could also feel the unease all the way from across the phone._

 _He just had to insist on employing squibs and exiles exclusively, didn't he? But having to hide his magic from his workers would hamper his creativity, detrimental when he's creating a magical masterpiece and not just a house with four walls and a roof. Limiting himself always left a foul taste in his mouth. So squibs and exiled outcasts it was._

 _Unfortunately, being squibs they had their feet firmly planted in both worlds, that meant they were aware of everything that went bump in the night and that meant they'd been understandably jumpy entering Mystic falls territory despite the headlines screaming animal attacks. They simply knew better._

 _He sighed, there was nothing for it but to bite the bullet. "I'll look into wards that repel Vampires and other supernaturals, so they can't step onto the land."_

 _Hadrian could feel the man relaxing and his relief was obvious in his voice when they concluded the call. Understandable, since the man was a squib and knew exactly what went bump in the night here but had no means to protect himself but the usual close up stake. He was right to worry about his workers, he concluded the call with an order to be well gone before sundown._

~)Flashback End(~

True to his word he'd scoured not only the Black library but also all others in his possession, which were a alarming member for a member of the house of red, gold and bravery, yet this time there was no pride in possessing enough books to make half of Ravenclaw sell their soul to get access to it, the other half having some harebrained notion that he would ever entertain the thought of marrying them and so grant them unconditional access.

Of course it hadn't been as easy as editing and tweaking an already existing ward; no he had to discover, to his great dismay, that there was no such thing as a vampire repelling ward, the closest being the innate one nature itself (more like the judgmental hedge witch part) erected upon every living home that bound muggle vampires to the invitation rule, nifty and rather ingenious considering how primitive it was, but ultimately far too weak and rigid to suit his needs.

He could not count how many times he nearly ripped his hair out in frustration and how many books sailed through he room. He would have probably given the project up entirely until a later date if time wasn't pressing. He had a schedule to keep and that didn't work if his workers got squeamish and jumped at every shadow. Well it was not like he could actually blame them what with the disturbing news of animal attacks featured prominently and then the disturbance at the construction site... besides he himself thought it would be a good idea to have a ward that kept vampires off his property what with Mystic Fall's crawling with them.

(He was still convinced it was karma that allowed him to wreak the the absolute hell that had descended on Tweedledee and Tweedledum in their Boarding House.)

So he'd started from scratch, he lost count on how many books on ancient wards, history and arithmancy he devoured over the last month or how many times he pestered his goblin contact in Gringott's Warding Department but he finally had a breakthrough three days ago;

In the end it was Kreacher that gave him the final breakthrough and all due to particular acerbic comment about a certain vampire disturbing the sanctity of his shop when he tried to get in to get his beloved trinkets back in the quiet of the night. _Tried_ being the operative word here. And his response to the uncouth vermin thinking he could steal from his master as hilarious as his vindictive response it had been it were the words he hurled at the crumpled unconscious form of the vampire that had cinched it and something in his brain had clicked into place and he suddenly saw it. Didn't make the task any easier or less troublesome and headache inducing.

No matter.

He'd finally completed that pesky but necessary ward, that had cost him far too many hours to draw up.

Before him lay the plans of a magnificent manor, born from his own quill. Despite being nothing more than lines on paper one could already see it's charm and his heart leapt just looking at it, this was going to be his home, he could already see it before his minds eye in vivid detail, the solid stone walls rising from the sprawling lawn, large windows glinting in the sun as light streamed inside filling the rooms within. The intricate gardens and greenhouses concealed in private gardens far from prying eyes and the centerpiece; the large inner patio with it's looming tower rising four stories high to overlook it all.

It would be magnificent.

Carefully sculpted into the delicate lines of the blue prints were now the crimson lines of his newly created ward, seamlessly integrating into the already existing ones. That would hopefully assure his workers and make sure his house was done according to schedule; magic could do a lot but it didn't replace good craftsmanship, it was a lesson the newer generations of wizards had yet to comprehend. It was why the goblins were so sought after other than their warding and banking skills, they still held the olden values, they still understood that magic was powerful but even more powerful if it worked in conjunction with what one formed with their own hands.

It was the second reason he had gladly employed a company that was not only headed by a squib but that was entirely comprised by them along with a few exiled werewolves. There was no need for him to glamour the runes he'd painstakingly carved into every brick and the array chains that traveled along the length of the great dark walnut beams, yet he didn't have to worry about his location being leaked to the wider magical world as he would have done if he'd hired wizards. Confidentiality contracts were all fine and good but not even an iron clad one could curb their zeal when it came to Harry Potter the Man-With-Too-Many-Titles. One way or another, a wizard would have managed to make a nuisance of himself, Hadrian just knew it.

There existed no magic to contain that level of crazy, Hadrian would have gladly sold his soul for it if it did.

Shoving that particular distasteful thought from his mind, concentrating that his schedule had suddenly cleared up, leaving him with a blissful chunk of free time. With a gleeful laugh he spun around in his chair enjoying his unexpected taste of freedom

He glanced over at the calendar seeing the day after tomorrow circled in bright red. Now he had more pleasant arrangements to make, then it was off to the kitchen. It felt like he hadn't had a time to indulge in a tub of ice cream since ages, a travesty he was prepared to correct promptly.

 **-)§(-**

Damon looked up as Stefan stormed into the room toward the house-bar and poured himself a stiff drink. Glad for a distraction from the persistent itch that had yet to abate despite it almost being a week, he looked up to heckle his brother some more and maybe drive him insane as retaliation. Any words he was about to utter died on his tongue as he chocked upon actually seeing him.

There he stood draining his second glass of their best vodka, a thunderous frown on his face that as bordering on the murderous...if it hadn't been total ruined by his hair hanging into his face. His bright neon pink hair.

Damon burst out laughing.

And he couldn't stop. Even as he had to start dodging Stefan's attempts at bodily harm, every glimpse he got at that mop of garish pink set him off again. For the first time since almost a week he didn't even feel like shaving off his skin to stop the raw irritation all over his body. Stefan with pink hair looking like a punk gone very wrong worked like a charm. He looked like one of those troll dolls!

"Weren't you going to go out to find baby Gilbert's druggie for Elena?"

There was a crash and the brothers went at each other again a pattern that was on endless loop these days.

 **-)§(-**

What none of them noticed was that their fighting had opened a window of opportunity that a certain third party was all too happy to exploit ruthlessly with far more nefarious intentions than the resident pissed-off wizard.

~) _Flashback_ (~

 _ **September 30th 2009,**_

 _With the flick of the wand the doors were sealed shut and another one ensured that the sleeping beauty stayed that way, couldn't have her waking up and begin making a fuss._

 _Aawww poor Elena Gilbert unable to handle the reality of not everything going according to her imagination and wishes, her prospect boyfriend being more than just the mysterious wealthy founder heir, his being a vampire throwing a wrench in her so carefully laid plans and bringing her fantasies crashing down._

 _Oh well, they knew it wouldn't last. Soon she would make new plans, realising that having a supernatural boyfriend totally smitten with her brought her advantages a human one never could. She was so predictable once you wrenched off the rose tinted glasses the whole town viewed her with._

 _Well they would take advantage of the situation while they were sure the pesky watchdog of a vampire was firmly out of the picture and had other things to do than imitate the broodiest stalker vampire off all time, they knew they wouldn't get much of a chance later. Especially as the number would double in the awaiting future._

 _The foolish girl wouldn't last to her graduation with her pulse and humanity intact. Better make most of it now._

 _Petrova Doppelganger blood was very valuable after all, and they were behind schedule._

~) _Flashback End_ (~

Yes, unbeknownst to all others in town; every night since then a figure snuck into the doppelgangers room and drained her off her precious blood. A tweaked blood replenisher spelled into the stomach, and no one was the wiser. Any weakness Elena Gilbert felt was summarily attributed to the stress of carrying the heavy burden of the dark secrets lurking underneath the surface of her crush.

If only sweet Elena knew the truth… she wouldn't find a moment of sleep.

* * *

 ** _So a little of plot, a snippet of the tormented brothers... hope you liked it_**

 ** _Thanks for the prank ideas guys but, wow, I gotta say; you guys are brutal! (yes especially you Pheonixs1518)_**

 ** _I loved it! Please send more!_**

 ** _No worries their time of glory is not over by a long shot lol_**


	7. 6 Of Birthdays, Nuttcrackers and BFFs

**_Disclaimer; I don't own Harry Potter or Vampire Diaries_**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 6:_**

 **Of Birthdays, Nuttcrackers and BFFs**

 _ **Friday 23** **rd** **October 2009**_

A crow sat on a branch infront of the nice middleclass house with it's wide porch, the immaculate white columns and grey shutters, it's black eyes watching avidly as the forms of the two inhabitants moved about the kitchen it's gimlet eyes peering through the kitchen window.

It watched as with an exclamation at the time both rushed from the house before separating.

A smug caw could be heard as the third occupant had yet to stir from under their covers. With a flap of it's obsidian wings it took flight and slipped into the now silent house making use of a window on the upper floor, carelessly left open. What landed in the hall though was not an avian but two boot clad legs. The dark haired male smirked smugly before creeping down the hall with unnatural grace his steps making no sounds as he approached one specific door. The door swung open making nary a sound. Spying the mussed hair peeking from underneath the covers splayed on the pillow and breathing pattern indicating deep sleep, he released a sinister chuckle.

Slipping into the room the door closed silently, with a faint clank of finality. The bed dipped under the additional weight causing the sleeping female to stir then turn on her side.

Sleep crusted eyes fluttered open and blearily stared at the male dark form lying beside her on the bed in total incomprehension…

"Morning~!" the male trilled cheerfully.

… that had not been there when she went to bed.

Heavy eylids drifted shut again, five more minutes…

…!

Until her brain actually caught up with the images received and sat up with a shriek the linen clutched to her chest in an instinctive move to ensure her modesty.

"Is that any way to greet the handsome man bringing you breakfast?" Came the droll voice from beside her. Turning she met amused green eyes.

"Hadrian! What are you doing here?"

Hadrian sighed, sparing her a pitying look that had her bristle. "The age must already be getting to you, I just told you..." he reached behind him and produced a large tray stacked with monstrous amount of food that distributed a heavenly scent, "Breakfast~."

Jenna stared at the array of food wide eyed, taking in the tall stack of syrup soaked pancakes, bowls of freshly cut fruit with an assortment of berries - despite being out of season the firm red strawberries winked at her, but it didn't stop there! There was also a bowl of yogurt and a stack of waffles with an variety of drinks raging from orange juice to coffee. Jenna's mouth watered and she only just kept from drooling, mutely she scooted back to the headboard as Hadrian settled it over her lap. "Happy birthday Jen!" he cheered settling a crown atop her curls that proudly declared in bright letters; Bow To The Queen!

"There's no way I can eat all of this."

"Does that mean you're not even thinking of sharing? Stingy." He gave her a wounded look that had her shaking in mirth before the laughter burst out from her. She handed him the cup of Earl Grey as he settled beside her, his fake pout immediately disappearing and replaced with a blissful sigh at the first sip.

"You and tea..."

"You and coffee…"

"I'll never understand it." They said simultaneously before laughing, it being already half a ritual when they went to a café and after their first unintentional synchronisation.

They chuckled behind their choice cups.

"Where are Jeremy and Elena?" she asked suspiciously, it was way too quiet.

* * *

 **Mystic** **Falls High School**

In her French class Elena sneezed.

Caroline threw her a sympathetic glance misunderstanding the action as a bad cover up. She knew exactly how she felt, she'd been in her place on Tuesday until she'd learned to sit as far from the younger Salvatore as she could. Caroline eyed Stefan Salvatore in the next seat with thinly veiled disgust unable to understand what she'd ever seen in a pig like him.

There was a groan and a scramble to unlatch the windows as the French teacher Miss Jaques continued righting on the board without pause, painted lips pursed in annoyance but didn't stop the class from trying to combat the foul stench of rotten eggs as the skunk bomber as they were starting to call him struck again. One person who should really visit the doctor to see what was wrong with their digestive system to be able to produce such wile farts. No one knew who it was but it had to be a junior as only their classrooms were affected, but she had her suspicions. Blue eyes narrowed on the Salvatore sitting in his seat so innocently as if he wasn't making others wish they could flee the confines of the classroom.

Last week he'd been scratching himself like a ape - no matter how surreptitious he thought he was she could still see that hand making suspicious actions between his legs as he walked… or sat… or stood there with his bag oh so cleverly placed in front of his crotch, he was not fooling anybody!

Now he was trying to recreate a gas chamber!

Had he ever even heard of _hygiene_?!

She'd made the mistake of sitting next to him in English and had to endure 45 minutes of hell and him acting as if nothing was wrong that stupid genial smile on his face all the while creeper stalking Elena with his eyes when he thought no one was looking. She didn't get what Elena saw in him…

Caroline shuddered pulling her shawl higher to cover her nose, the extra dash of perfume this morning working wonders. She inhaled the sweet flowery scent greedily.

No Elena could keep the skunk, his brother may be an abusive dick with a weird biting kink but at least the thought of touching his body didn't repulse her to the point of nausea. The mere thought of some of her past daydreams starring the younger Salvatore now made her want to hurl.

If this went on for much longer she was going to out Stefan - mysterious football hottie or not! - she decided, as Miss Jaques finally cracked and dismissed the class early with stony parting words from an acerbic tongue, "You are old enough to deal with your bodies if you feel the urge ask to be excused and do not disturb the rest of your fellow classmates."

Yes, she was a Forbes and had enough on her schedule than be forced to put in extra time to study what _should_ have been covered in class, she had more important things to do. She was going to be Miss Mystic Fall come hell or high-water, she was not jeopardizing that because Elena's would-be-boyfriend had no control over his body functions!

* * *

"Ah, the brats are gone, sitting their first class if none of them are skiving."

Jenna was amused at the pouted grimace on her friends face at the mention of the two, despite his continues digs at their lack of maturity the mere mention of them had him grumbling like a child. "–wait! What time is it? OMG! My boss is going to have an aneurysm if I'm late again! How could you ply me with your delicious food?! Where-"

Taking a strawberry he stuffed it in her mouth to interrupt the stream of panicked questions.

"Chill, I took care of everything; for this weekend you're mine." He smirked stealing a strawberry for himself. "So be prepared. And drink your disgusting coffee."

He was very glad for his foresight in spiking the brew with calming drought, a sip and he could see those tense shoulders relax, it was a very enjoyable late breakfast after that. He had her in stitches for most of it especially when he pulled out his ipad for the communal skype call from their friends form the continent. There were a few very close calls and only surreptitious use of wandless magic on his part kept that tray level, as Jenna wiggled around like a worm and suddenly felt the need to try her hand at becoming Italian including all the expansive animated hand gestures.

"Presents!"

He handed her a box tied with a large silk ribbon, with an envelope tucked inside on top. Taking the envelope first expecting nothing more than a birthday card (which was a very cute humorous one) she was surprised when a slip of paper fell out when she opened it. "Mixed Martial Arts…" she read stunned.

"Yep with me, three times a week. I found the best classes offered within 30 miles."

"Wha- but _Martial_ _arts_?"

"I know." Hadrian said smugly completely ignoring her tone. Before continuing slyly "Think how badass you'll look with a toned body and moves hidden up your sleeve. Besides…" a wicked smile spread across his lips, "you want to be able to give Logan a proper 'welcome back' when he returns, right?"

The hesitation cleared from her face and she looked almost Zen for a few long moments as different images flew threw her mind all with Logan ending in a pained heap at her feet. A vindictive little smile curved up her lips. "Oh yeah."

"Now _that's_ the Jenna I remember." Harry laughed gaily."You'll be pleased that the first lesson is today."

"And this—" he noted as Jenna pulled out a gorgeous cocktail dress out of the box, a beautiful gold and green number that would compliment her colouring so well, "-is for later tonight."

Somewhere you can act your age and not get disapproving looks

"No no no I'm not doing this for _you_ , I'm doing this for _me_." He stole a blueberry from her , leaning over and snapping it up directly from her fork. "I'm a selfish creature."

"You don't say. A designer dress helps you how? Are you going to raid it from my closet and live out your secret drag fantasies? " She sassed at him.

He held up his finger imperiously. "One, I could so pull of drag and have everyone grovel at me feet." He declared with zero doubt on his haughty aristocratic face. "Two, I'm a Black I do everything for my benefit. I wanted company to these lessons and now your southern sensibilities forbid you to decline."

"Jesus you sound so gay!" she laughed.

"Jesus has nothing to do with it." He snapped with a mock deeply offended mien, stuffing a blueberry chocolat muffin in his friends mouth as she opened her mouth for more sass. "Shut up, be grateful, and eat your breakfast I slaved over the oven for."

 **-)§(-**

A moan escaped Jenna's lips as a strong finger dug in just the right spot and she almost melted through the padded table as she put herself under the complete mercy of the hunk of a man looming over her.

"If this is how you end every class of beating other people up, I'm in." really she was feeling like a roman empress here; Under a pavilion with fluttering white curtains in a field of wild flowers and skimpily dressed men rubbing oils into her skin while she leaned back and enjoyed fruits, chocolate and wine. Hadrian was really going all out even stopping the constructions early for the day so there was no sound to be heard other than the slight breeze through leaves and the music they'd put on. It really didn't feel like a day in mid October more like a balmy summer day at the Mediterranean.

(Heat regulation wards worked true wonders, not that Jenna knew.)

Really she could get used to this.

"Hmm only if you stop thinking about Logan when it's my turn to spar with you." Hadrian deadpanned, cringing on the inside when he remembered the image of the instructor on the floor; pale faced, mouth contorted in agony and only a gurgle escaping his throat as he cupped his injured balls protectively. Yes every male in that room learned startling Jenna was a very bad idea, she had a knee that lashed out instinctively and struck unerringly.

He knew better.

She may have acted innocent and apologetic but he'd seen that satisfied _sadistic_ gleam in her eye before it disappeared. It didn't help that her next sparring partner had somehow ended in the same position. He really was a bad influence on her.

Let's hope she didn't develop that further while in his vicinity, maybe he should help her get a boyfriend…

"What was up with that other guy that went pale when he saw you and shook everytime you even looked at him, did _you_ kick _him_ in the balls?"

"Enough about balls! And no. He's the little brother of a wanker I had to teach some manners to, rather forcefully and repeatedly." He concluded darkly, deflecting her deflection.

They lapsed back in silence both enjoying the attentions of their attentive slaves as they put their big strong hands to use drifting lazily on cloud mine as they were were lulled into the realm of puddles of human goo.

"Marry me?" Jenna slurred, eyes on half mast as she she watched the man knelt in front of her, her foot in his lap as he kneaded it, thumbs digging into the soles of her feet deliciously.

Hadrian chuckled. "Hey! No stealing my top masseur."

"When I marry him, I'll use my authority as wife to make him my slave. As my best friend I would lend you these godly hands of his.

"So tempting…" Hadrian released a hum of pleasure as his own massaging Adonis kneaded a especially persistent knot out of his muscles, it took a while for him to muster the energy to respond "But you'd probably kill him within the week with your cooking." He finally interjected lazily as the voice of reason.

"I've been improving." Jenna pouted.

"I no longer get the urge to run when you pick up a kitchen knife." Hadrian concurred.

The sudden predatory glare she sent him from those lidded eyes, had the image of the crushed trainer flash through his mind and he averted his eyes innocently.

"Don't listen to him he just can't handle that much talent. I'll be the perfect wife." She cooed to the blond with the skin tight tank top that left nothing to thee imagination and clung to those abbs like a second skin. Such delicious abs. He really believed it was a testament to her tipsiness that she managed to proclaim that with a straight face. Another part of him meanwhile wished he'd thought to record this; her later reaction to the tipsy flirting she'd been doing with the man with only a towel preserving her modesty would be hilarious.

"I have a girlfriend." The man demurred.

"That lucky bitch." Jenna muttered before moaning again as those talented fingers dug into her calves and releasing the tension from the tense muscles. Her head falling back with a moan as that strong hand slid up her leg expertly, the crown in her hair glittering and refracting the sunlight prettily.

"A such a nice birthday." Jenna closed her eyes in bliss, scrumpcious food so much until she felt like she would have to roll home, she was catered to by two hunks of men reading her every wish from her eyes alone, her body being thoroughly kneaded by two magical hands attached to a half naked man with the bluest of eyes that looked like he just walked out from the cover of a magazine, and the chance to tick off one of her secret items on her bucket list; Kick a jerk in the balls as hard as she can – it might have been an accident and not really a man deserving of it but it still felt sooo good. That feel of power as he wriggled around at her feet like a worm…

(On an unrelated note; the three men present in the pavilion suddenly felt the need to hide as an ice cold chill slithered down their spine despite the sun out.)

She felt like a sexy woman on top of the world - strong, desirable and _happy_. She hoped this trend carried for the rest of the year.

"What are you talking about the day is long not over." Hadrian grinned at her wickedly as he sat up and clapped his hands and out of seemingly no where a trio of women appeared, the lot of them smiling and caring a serious luggage with them.

"Jen meet the Gonzalez Sisters. When they're done with you your own mother won't recognise you."

Jenna did not like the glint in those sharp mischievous eyes as the sized her up. Looking at Hadrian she knew there would be no help from his corner as he smiled at her eyes bright with anticipation. "I bought you a designer dress, it would be awfully rude of me not to give you an occasion to wear it."

 **-)§(-**

Jenna didn't actually remember how she got to this club in the upper east side, everything was kind of hazy, champagne in a limo, the New York skyline,glistening skyscrapers towering far above her seemingly straight into space, walking down bustling sidewalks with Hadrian leading her walking as if he owned the world turning heads and people automatically making way for him as he didn't even spare them a single glance all his attention on her and their conversations, dancing, music, a lot of scarily attractive people who Hadrian all seemed to know, a whole set of designer clothes gifted to her by a very flamboyant man that cooed over her cheekbones, more dancing and cocktails in iridescent colours that glowed in the dark or smoked suspiciously but made her feel like she was flying, on fire and in the throws of an earth shattering orgasm all at once, yeeaah she really liked those~. And she was having the _best night of her_ **life** – but now she needed a breather.

It felt like her lungs were dying.

Pushing her way through she was spat out from the sea of gyrating bodies and headed straight for those open balcony doors showing the most breathtaking of views of New York at night.

She stumbled, with a sudden case of jelly legs but before she could fall she was steadied by a firm hand. "Oh thank you!"

"My pleasure." A smooth voice assured her in cultured tones at odds with the atmosphere she blinked up at the expensive suite into a way too handsome face and into piercing hazel eyes. Oh... there were no colourful lights. No smoke either, but a darker sophisticated air supported by the Victorian flair of the gleaming walnut bar, deep red drapes hanging elegantly around the room pooling on the dark polished marble, leather sofa's, flickering oil lamps illuminating small pockets and a massive chandelier above the dance floor lit by what seemed to be hundreds of genuine candles - did wax ever drip down on a unsuspecting dancer below? Must be painful for the unlucky one...

… it seemed like this was a different club. She liked it, very classy.

She looked over and nearly giggled as she spotted Hadrian in his element, in the midst of a throng of far too attractive people gyrating under the compelling beat of hypnotic powerful voices, kissing the life out of a brunette while grinding back into the dark eyed male holding his hips captive in a possessive grip… completely absorbed and distracted. The sex fiend.

She loved her home town but the people there could be so blind...immaculate emancipated Lord indeed.

No doubt she'd be ripped apart jealously if she dared to drag him away, the thought only half jokingly considering the multiple hungry eyes following her friends every move.

She had a strong sense of déjà vu at the familiar scene, remembering her exchange program to Europe where she had learned nearly nothing but met a certain green eyed fairy.

At least she was still in the right place, always good to know and not always immediately preclusive.

Since she was being ignored for the moment... Jenna turned back to her suited saviour and his poised smile, the breeze from the open window ruffling dark hair. Yes, a breather was exactly what she needed.

 **-)§(-**

"Jen!" Hadrian suddenly appeared at her elbow with a exhilarated smile and bright eyes, giving the man a quick once over when he saw them stand together throwing her a filthy look on the sly. "Good going. But I'll have to abduct the Lady, this is our song." With just a song and not another word Jenna found herself back on the dance floor amongst the swaying bodies and a strong beat. Ten minutes later they were completely gone from the tucked away club, Jenna laughing gaily as they ran through the streets, lured by the sweet promises of fatty, greasy food.

Hadrian nearly had had a heart attack when he spotted a defenceless Jenna conversing with a wolf in sheep's clothing surrounded by a clear non human aura. Just one second – O _ne. Second._ – of not paying attention… With snap of his jaw he bit through the chicken fingers.

Opposite him, Jenna was totally unaware of her brush with the supernatural and was digging into her whopper with relish. "Oh this is just what I needed." She moaned munching on a fry.

Well, what she didn't know…

Hadrian grinned. "That's what you get eating in just one bar the whole time."

"I can hear your condescension." She flicked a fry at him which he caught with his teeth and wiggled his brows.

"I wasn't trying to hide it. Despite what you inhabitants of Mystic Falls believe; the Grill isn't the only place you can get food. I'm half tempted to open a new restaurant just because."

"Objection." Hadrian raised his brow inquiringly his cheeks full as he chomped on the chicken sticks, the chipmunk cheeks startling funny as it clashed with his sophisticated look. Hadrian blinked as a flash blinded him momentarily looking at his friend in askance. "You already have a store and a huge constructing site because you can't be satisfied with just _buying_ a house like a normal person but building one from ground up." Jenna sassed, ignoring him and earning an eye roll at the dissing. "If you add a restaurant to that you'll have no time to cook food for me.

"Learn it yourself." Hadrian deadpanned.

"Hadri!"

Hadrian nodded decisively. "That's my name."

With his ingrained seeker reflexes, catching a fry with his mouth was not a feet that was limited to just once, as a frustrated Jenna found out.

"Now come on! End of the pit stop, the night is still young!"

"It's… 3:40." Jenna deadpanned checking her phone.

"Exactly!"

"What about sleep?"

Hadrian scoffed. "You can sleep all day at the hotel pool, now I've got several bars and an out-of-this-world club to show you."

He dragged her to the street and hailed a cab imperiously and before she could blink they were off. In the backseat Jenna had to grin, just like Prague…

* * *

 ** _Okay I have absolutely no idea when Jenna's birthday really is! It was never mentioned (believe me I looked) so I added it here as it fit in well now as opposed to at a later time. I hope you enjoyed the Hadrian/Jenna time. n.n_**


	8. 7 You've been Maraudered!

Disclaimer: I neither own Vampire Diaries or Harry Potter (things would have ended very differently if I did lol)

* * *

 _ **Chapter 7:**_

 **You've been Maraudered!**

 ** _...or the Salvatore's glimpse of Hell._**

Kreacher was lovingly keeping watch over the nice collection Master was amassing of ghastly blood slurpers that had dared cross their betters. Kreacher would have loved teaching beast respect with his poker but he was far too busy with his duties. Still Kreacher took great pride and pleasure in being trusted to organise Masters documentation of his subjugation of the beasts. He had even been allowed to help once, being good elf of Noble House of Black, Kreacher hammered nails in all soles of theirs shoes. Oh yes he did.

They screamed so prettily like little gnomes in old garden.

With a humm Kreacher continued to arrange the glowing marble-sized orbs from the disk and lovingly setting them in a prepared case. Master would be so pleased when he came home from trip with wild muggle woman.

 **-)§(-**

Far off the beaten track of Mystic Falls' central, lay the picturesque building of the Salvatore Boarding House which had been temporary home to a many visitors and was known through out the entire small community for it's craftsmanship and charm. There was nothing of that left now.

The illusion may hold from the outside but the two currently in resident would sing you a totally different tune. It was a house of horrors and that the two were two blood sucking and predatory creatures of the night had nothing to do with that assessment, but more the series of unfortunate events occurring daily...

* * *

Stefan was walking down the corridor when suddenly unseen by him a banana peal appeared beneath his foot, barely had he set his foot down did his foot slip out from under him abruptly even with his vampire senses there was no helping him as his feet disappeared from under him and he dramatically landed on his back, his skull impacting harshly and knocking himself out. A bucket of the most obnoxious pink glittery slush tilted above his prone form. A second later a loud splash was heard in the corridor.

* * *

Damon skipped down the stares whistling a tune in an extraordinary good mood as he'd managed to get another great blackmail photo of Stefan for the album. In such a good mood that he did not see the suspicious sheen on the steps…"WO~ooohh…" there was a clatter and rapid thumping as he slipped and skated down the steps. On his back.

With a groan Damon blinked where he had landed against the landing wall, his head at an odd angle, eyeing the iced steps incredulously… was that frost? _inside_?

* * *

Towel around his neck Damon stepped out of the bathroom wandering over to his wardrobe after his morning absolutions. His idle morning didn't last long as his bedroom door was kicked open by… barney the dinosaur? Damon snorted , the click of his camera was second nature to him by now. His brother the purple dinosaur.

He did his best to contain his cackles instead sent him a dry look. "Is this the kind of example you should set for the little kiddies?"

At least that's what he wanted to say all that came out was an intelligible mess as his teeth refused to part earning a blank look from his brother-come-dino.

Damon spead to the bathroom and bared his teeth in a snarl to see their pearly white perfection, but no amount of pulling had them part a millimetre, his gaze fixed on his toothpaste and he snapped up the tube, sniffing it at his face darkening as he detected a faint foreign scent. With a muffled roar of rage he tossed it in the bin. Stefan who had followed burst out laughing, only to choke off startled, it wasn't his laugh that emerged from his lips but a 1 to 1 copy of the

At least he wasn't singing.

* * *

" _we're a happy family~ with a great big hug and a kiss from me to you won't you say you love me too~_ "

He'd spoken too soon the rest of the weekend his brother was purple and every time he opened his mouth he started singing that damn song his limbs involuntarily moving in the dance. Damon had taken vindictive pleasure in Steffie's mortified face as his body was forced along in the dance moves as he sang…that quickly died as Stefosaur started trying to hug and kiss him along with the lyrics.

 _"I love you, you love me together we love barney…"_

If he had to listen to that song one more time he might just stake himself to finally escape it because by now staking his brother wasn't enough, that song was like a virus, a fungus, it settled and grew and it was _impossible_ to get rid of it. Every time he thought he was free of it he found himself humming the damn thing.

 _"_ _I love you! you love me…"_

What kind of hell was this?

* * *

That had only been the first week of his suffering.

There came a slew of other horrors, some he refused to even think about as they all ranged from debilitating humiliating to mentally scarring. Worst was the Paranoia that escalated with everyday that passed; you couldn't reach into any cupboard, drawer or corner without a mouse trap slamming shut on fingers. No matter how often they swept the boarding house from top to bottom; one lapse of caution and with a snap their fingers were tortured again. It was to the point that they were so paranoid that they couldn't reach into anywhere without first thoroughly checking it with a flashlight. There was a ceasefire as they sat together and watched in glee as the buckets worth of finger-breakers burned on the terrace.

It was truly sad that that moment of unhinged ceasefire - involving actual fire - was one of the highlight of their week.

* * *

Thursday 22nd October, 2009

The Stefan Salvatore Facebook account went online for the first time. It was an embarrassing eyesore for any healthy male mind, that was so deeply entrenched in the twilight Fandom it probably never saw reality before. That it proclaimed an undying love for Edward Cullen made it worse. Boasting a gallery of thousands of Photos and pictures of Edward Cullen in different scenes and angles, Stefan with various EC memorabilia from posters to actual figurines and as if that all hadn't been enough; Stefan in Edward Cullen cosplay.

Friend request were promptly sent to various Mystic Falls High students,people he had never talked to - _especially_ the people he never talked to - effectively outing him as a 'Twihard', doubting whispers of his sexuality weren't far behind.

Stefan Salvatore had no idea of it's existence

* * *

There was the sound of the opening toilet seat on the wall and a sigh as a full bladder was relieved. Standing facing the wall Damon frowned as his disinterested gaze caught on a black mark on his tiles. Leaning closer, squinting…

BANG!

Damon's head snapped back as both eyes clenched shut in pain and he landed on his back – it was a pattern that was happening an awful lot this last week. His bladder though, hadn't gotten the message, his shirt stained as a makeshift sprinkler proudly stood out of his pants, giving him an involuntary baptism.

"Arg!"

Damon jumped up with an exclamation of disgust. Looking back at the wall suspiciously there was nothing. Wrenching off his shirt, using it to mop up the floor, he threw it in the hamper and stalked out of the room, never even noticing that he sported two black eyes. The stark contrast of black on pale skin, under disheveled raven locks, making him look remarkably like a panda.

* * *

Stefan had stormed out of the house and into the woods, looking for a meal and a way to get his strength back up after one too many Vervain attacks. He still didn't get how Damon was able to lace dry cornflakes with vervain but he did, he had suspected the milk but never the dry flakes a mistake he wasn't going to make again as getting them back out of his mouth when those dry crumbs stuck to every moisture they could - which being everywhere inside his mouth – had been painful and tragic.

Casting aside his annoyed thoughts Stefan focused his senses on the hunt, listening for the quiet steps of mammals scurrying over the rustling fallen leaves of fall. Silence.

There was a deep unnatural silence in the air the usual faint sound of wildlife complete absent despite Stefan now being far enough from any human activity. It was ominous.

Suspiciously his eyes darted around, his ears alert as he continued his trek between tree trunks. High above his head gimlet eyes watched alertly. A flutter of feathers and the one was soon joined by others dark forms hopping or gliding through the high branches, silently following the lone form below like shadows in the night.

 **Caw.**

Stefan froze as he saw one of the largest crows he had ever seen sit at a lower branch directly infront of him. Black sharp eyes boring into him and accessing him with a unnatural intensity. It wasn't alone his imagination that made him perceive that death glare he was suddenly on the receiving end of. He heard the rustling feathers of hundreds and saw the forms landing all around him from the corner of his eyes – he daren't break the deadly stare down with the big one exuding that evil air – until he was surrounded by an entire flock.

This…

This was ominous. He felt cold sweat gather at the back off his neck as he came the single focus of hundreds of intense eyes.

Caw! Caw, caw!

CAW!

Caw!

Stefan winced as the entire flock started making a racket exuding agitation and aggression, flinching back and covering his ears as his focused hearings suffered under the sudden loud volume. Caw the cry came commandingly cutting through all others imperiously and it was then that Stefan saw the malevolent intentions and started to run A growing flock of hundreds sharply on his heels astoundingly keeping up with him pecking his hands harshly as he tried to fend them off. Even vampire speed couldn't free him off them as weakened as he was he was just barely at the superhuman limit and these crows seemed to get increasingly vicious as they tasted his blood.

Hunted, Stefan fled the woods.

* * *

Never existed a thought that their brother could be innocent - that the other couldn't possibly be responsible. Like the time Damon was stuck to the floor in the parlour with no escape for 42 hours despite his wrenching and vocal rage so he couldn't have possibly been the one to sneak in Stefan's room at night and give him a total make over including waxed legs, mani- and pedicure with long fake nails in hot pink, make up via permanent markers and a super glued blond wig. Not even when Damon chocked and nearly died swallowing his own tongue when he saw Steffanie march into the room in a fluttery flowery number, the dainty dress looking positively vile on his muscled frame.

The hooker heels did not make it better either.

Stefan(ie) had shouted his voice hoarse. Damon had howled with laughter.

What neither of the brothers seemed to be able to compute was that it was that the pranks and misfortune the other was hit with _had_ to be by a third person as they were innocent.

Of course that wasn't natural.

Magic was heavily at work here:

The subtle mood modifiers and the integrated compulsions prevented any suspicion of outside influence, squashing any thought of third party meddling as soon as it formed, and diverting all guilt to the Salvatore name.

Ergo; guilt or innocence was never questioned, the only thought that drifted through Damon's mind on the subject was the lament that his camera was across the room, so close but yet so far out of reach it might as well have been in Timbuktu.

Pictures from his phone just weren't up to par.

Needless to say those two days before the weekend Stefan(ie) didn't go to school still struggling with getting rid off his drag and failing pathetically much to his brothers sadistic joy, all the while praying that Elena didn't get it into her head to come by for a visit. It was the first time he was glad that they had broken up and she was avoiding him.

(On an unrelated note the students and staff rejoiced and breathed a fresh breath of relief that they had a respite from the gas chamber simulations.)

He was really thirsting for a good ole massacre about now, it would feel good to have blood drip from him rather than the glittery unicorn sick that assaulted him every time – E _very. Single. Time_! – he stepped out of the house no matter which door or which window.

Oh sweet carnage how he hungered for it, he was this close to just skipping town or flipping his switch. But the tomb... Katherine or his sanity? He'd have to choose soon or not much would be left of the latter.

* * *

 ** _...Sunday 25th October, 2009_**

Almost two weeks of pure hell and he wasn't sure how he'd survived and now for the first time in forever he could sit back and relax with his gods blessed bourbon in hand – no whiff of vervain about anywhere, no childish kill-me-now songs that wouldn't stop until they drove you insane, Stefan too was quiet for once. As long as he didn't move from his very comfortable chair he could enjoy a peaceful evening for once.

"DAMMOOONN!" the roar seemed to shake the entire house.

Said vampire dropped back his head with a long suffering sigh staring pleadingly up at the heavens. Was one evening really too much to ask?

Damon remained silent hoping that if he didn't react that Stefan would not find him and just leave him alone. Of course it didn't work that way. Barely a few seconds after he had the wishful thought was he graced with his precious brother's presence.

Maybe if he didn't look he could pretend he wasn't there… he was good at tuning out Stefan's rants all he heard was unintellible stream of vowels and consonants spat out angrily. What could he say it was a talent.

Then he smelt the blood, far more potent than any of Stefan's usual diet. Confused he opened his eyes to see hs brother a mess, clothes ripped, arms scratched and blood and his hero-hairdo missing several chunks. Ah vampire blood then, for a second he'd actually thought saint Stefan slipped up.

Stefan wrenched the tumbler out of his hands and hurled it violently at the fireplace his eyes blazing with fury. "LISTEN TO ME!"

Unperturbed he reached for the bottle readily positioned on the table beside him, only to have that wrenched from him too and follow the same way of his dearly departed tumbler.

Enough was enough.

Damon surged to his feet. "My bourbon!" his own temper flared, his brother getting on his already heavily frayed last nerve. "What did you did that for? You don't waste a perfectly good bottle of bourbon!"

He leapt at Stefan and had those offending limbs in his grip painfully pulling them back for maximum effect taking malicious joy in the faint creaking sounds the bones made as he forced them to the breaking point. With a smooth move he had Stefan's face squashed to the hardwood floor adding a crooked blood nose to the scratched up face and planting his knee securely in his spine.

"Care to tell me why you would go and ruin my peaceful evening?" Damon sneered adding more pressure when Stefan wriggled. "Let me guess; Is it because little Stefan has a booboo?"

"Don't act all innocent! You sent those damn crows of yours after me!" Stefan snarled uselessly.

What crows?"

Hearing the honest confusion under the mocking Stefan stilled and clammed up instantly. If this wasn't Damon's doing then no way was he admitting that he was chased out of the wood by regular wildlife he had to endure enough cracks about his diet as it was.

Oh don't stop there it's getting interesting." Damon mocked maliciously, having scented weakness he dove at it viciously.

"Is that smoke I smell?"

"No deflecting now. Come on, squeak up!"

The fire alarm beeped overhead.

Damon whirled around to see the rug on fire, he was up instantly and across the room. Stefan took of his jacket and instantly tried to extinguish the fire that was spreading across the carpet.

"Look now you've done it." Damon tsked.

"Damon help!"

"You get what you sow brother, no one told you to spill _my_ bottle of bourbon all over the carpet - directly in front of a blazing fire. Use your head next time Steffie."

A second later the sprinklers came on and both screamed in agony as their skin burned and blistered as the water hit their skin acting like acid.

"Vervain?!" Damon sped out the window to watch Stefan flail around until taking cover under the table, hissing as he wrenched his blistering palms from the gathering puddle he had inadvertably stuck them into.

"Do go on and defend Zach again, I dare you!" Damon swore murderously deeply regretting ever killing Zach, death was simply to good for the conniving little weasel.

If Damon didn't know better, he'd think that the cretin had come back as a ghost to haunt him.

You'd think it would get better after the first time he'd chocked on his bourbon as the toxic herb burned through his throat, but it just got worse each time as it was forced on an unsuspecting him, the stuff was literally everywhere the only thing stopping him from staking his smug brother was that 10 times out of 10, the next thing Stefan had the misfortune to touch had him gasping on the floor, taking it a lot worse than Damon ever did what with that weak critter diet of his.

Damon stared at his struggling and cursing brother uncomprehendingly as he vainly tried to find a dry place to take cover going deeper and deeper into the house. He knew his brother had streaks of insanity every now and then – like that whole business of going to high school – but he'd thought he'd comprehended the meaning of inside sprinklers he was pretty sure Stefan was the one to order them installed after a small fire in the west parlour some decades past.

He should comprehend that they covered every inch inside including bathrooms and bedrooms to the cellar. It was logical to get out of the house and not go deeper into the acidic hell, even a four year old would have comprehended that. He wasn't going to actually hunker down in a cupboard as the vervain tainted water flooded under the door… Right?

Caw.

Damon startled and turned his head to see a large crow sitting on a nearby branch grooming it's feathers with a sharp beak, it was the trio beneath it that caught and made his attention linger though. There underneath the heavy boughs of the oak and facing the house were three large forms half hidden in shadows only their glinting eyes stood out from the night gloom as they reflected the light streaming outside. They remained there even in his presence, completely motionless as if silent sentries.

Okayyyy.

He ignored the watching zoo and instead called for his foolish brother to come out. A stag, a tawny wolf and a black dog what a weird combination…

* * *

 _ **Wow loads of pranks I hope I did the expectations justice. Tell me what you thought of the Salvatores bearing the brunt of the Marauder Legacy's displeasure.**_

 _ **Next chapter we'll actually move forward on the Vampire Diaries plot line. n.n**_


	9. 8 A Month's End

_**Disclaimer: Neither Harry Potter nor Vampire Diaries is mine ( one wish Santa didn't grant me again this year T.T)**_

 _ **Happy New Year 2018 everyone!**_

* * *

Chapter 8:

A Month's End

The last days of October flew by quickly, like the falling leaves from the trees and soon the small town in the southern states was gearing up for Halloween and pumpkins and costumes became a hot topic as a consequence the resident British Lord was seen less and less, as he took to avoid the whole Mystic Falls community having no desire what-so-ever getting sucked into that hype. It wasn't made easy on him as not only did he have to avoid Carol at all costs which turned out frustratingly hard as it turned out a Mayors wife not only had her finger in every pot she also knew to use her sycophants most effectively in being her eyes and ears. Hadrian had resorted to working overtime on his mansion, practically sleeping there, when it became obvious that barricading himself in his house wasn't enough and apparently even his strongest muggle-repelling wards had nothing on a determined southern Lady.

He thanked Magick for the existence of Notice-Me-not charms, otherwise he wouldn't have dared set step a foot outside his door.

To this day, he wasn't sure how the woman had done it, but Hadrian-immune-to-Imperio-Potter found himself attending that particular Midsummer Ball as Ophelia; meaning a fluttery dress, fake shimmering wings and an inordinate amount of glitter that even withstood banishing charms and still trailed after him well into August and a disturbing amount of lecherous old men trying to cope a feel unable to compute the fact that he was neither interested or _female._

One thing was sure, standing there stunned in the middle of the Ball, iridescent and skimpy, he had stopped underestimating the Lockwood woman. That 'pouting mother with sad eyes' look of hers was a fearsome weapon that deserved the respect it was due, one moment they were talking town history and invitation cards, the next his clothes were ripped from his body and he stood blinking dumbly as she fluttered about him.

...Thank Merlin Carol had no aspirations as a cougar.

Tyler, the wanker, laughed himself sick from the sidelines gloatingly flashing pictures from the last costume, glad that for once it was not him forced into those costumes. Oh but he'd chocked on those chuckles of his when his mother turned her tender mercies on him and so resulting the blown up picture of Ophelia and Oberon on her mantel.

His pride might have cracked under Tyler's guffaws but a friendship was born that day… and he got that tosser of a son back in spades.

It was also the only time that he was desperately glad about Jenna's depression and withdrawal from society, her ribbing was already merciless enough without giving her the extra ammunition.

Speaking of the devil; Jenna had been persistent in trying to lure him to that prison that devoured souls, cracked sanity and was filled to the brim with the most vapid creatures in existence; The local High School that was.

 _" **Me**_ at a _high school_ party?" he intoned aghast a grimace working onto his face at that thought. She really wanted to add alcohol to the already horrifying mixture? What kind of self respecting person human- with a brain – put themselves through that?

"At a high school party." Jenna mimicked his horrified tone mockingly.

Now you could see his relief at the scenario of him stuffed in a fairy queen costume having completely flown over her head.

"You are seventeen and the same age. It's not the end of the world."

"How would you know? Maybe it is." He challenged with a raised eyebrow, "Apart from Tyler, I can't stand them. I may never have stepped foot in one but I don't need to, to know high school parties suck."

How could it not? Bad decoration. Immature groping. Beer. Getting cheap, badly done costume makeup smeared all over him. Avoiding puke... He barely managed to suppress a shiver of revulsion.

"No thank you I like to spend my Halloweens quietly."

…Which was such a bald faced lie it was a wonder the skies didn't part and smite him.

The last Halloweens post war had spent the whole day partying, participating in a few samhain rituals (traditional, ancient and some wilder esoteric variants among them) and then skipped to a country that was behind his time zone and then spent the next few days partying so hard he was lucky to remember half of it, and thank the gods that magic not only prevented liver failure and alcohol poisoning but also extended that immunity to any STD's. This year wouldn't be any different, just that he had to start in reverse, seeing as the US was right at the end of his usual chain, and that Halloween Party in the upper east three years ago had been blast and he made a point in repeating every year since.

City that never sleeps, indeed.

None of his sordid thoughts and memories were seen on his face however, as he kept it admirably blank. He still got a suspicious look, courtesy of Jenna, whose bullshit radar had been significantly enhanced in the past months as a guardian of two teenagers. Too bad she had yet to learn when to listen to it. Good for him though, as he safely skated past that particular landmine.

 **-)§(-**

 ** _Saturday 31 October, 2009._**

Now he was regretting blowing Jenna off.

There on the floor lay a vision of beauty sprawled out on the floor that would have had any witness drool and itch to feast upon the form spread out so deliciously and seemingly defencelessly.

Fair unmarred skin, seemed to glow in the sunlight streaming in through the windows, shimmers of purple, emerald and silver lighting up in trails as the patterns of tiny diamonds and glitter he had carefully and painstakingly affixed to his exposed skin for the last two hours with the help of his mothering house elf and loving cook, Mindy. Trailing up his arms to his shoulders up his neck and down his back it made an impressive array of interlocking swirls and runes that would later be on full display as the cream acrumantula silk shirt was both sleeveless and backless, the fabric cinched and artfully held together at his hip by a single silver brooch of a serpent and a skull for the occasion.

(No nothing like the Dark Mark, the design being far more ancient - another something he had unearthed from his ancestors vaults. Really pack-rats, the lot of them!)

The dark dragon-hide trousers encased his legs like a second skin and disappearing into his favourite and the truly badass ironbelly dragon-hide boots were merely only the cherry on top as they were as comfortable as they were gorgeous - a must with how many hours he was going to be wearing them. Another perk being, due to their magical properties and inscribed runes he could vanish and re-materialize them with a single thought - also very important since he had _plans_.

His emerald eyes positively glowed from the depths of his exaggerated smokey eyes, accented by the glint of a trio of small amethysts running along his cheekbone just under his left eye. His form truly presented a vision of loveliness reminiscent of the the descriptions from the Holy texts of old that spoke of pure creatures, beings of light and beauty that served the gods.

Yet it was a fallacious mirage.

A closer look, and the deception of innocence was dispelled to reveal the deviousness lurking under the guileless veneer; Hadrian Potter/ Black/ Peverell/ or whatever name he was going by, possessed an undeniable sultriness that clinging to him, the traces of innocence past long since discarded, visually exacerbated by the deep midnight instead of the pure white that stained the elegant wings sprouting from his back, their hue matching the silky raven locks splayed about his head.

If he was indeed an angel then it was one that fell from heaven and preferred to consort with demons, his aura dark, heady and addictive.

Then there were the... _extras_ that spurred on the lustful allure. Atop his head peaking out from amongst the nest of hair were two furry appendages twitching at sounds from beyond the room as well as multiple fluffy tails flicking about lazily. Completely authentic. He was both eagerly anticipating and dreading his first stop in the land of the rising sun, the birthplace of fangirls and so many fetishes. He could pull of the incarnation of pure sex and walking supernatural wet dream rather well, if he could say so himself.

It was only the dull look of these mesmerising eyes that detracted from that picture, the alluring gut wrenching pull that the emeralds usually exerted upon any hapless victim foolish enough to stare into their depths, diminished and drowned out by mind-numbing lethargy.

It was like the clock was mocking him as the hands barely seemed to move at all.

Worse, all the solutions his quick mind supplied him with had to be thrown out just as quickly, the ideas either unappealing, too impractical, or brought consequences with it that he'd rather not deal with.

He could visit Black Manor... but they would know. They usually found out far too quickly if and when he was within reach of their clutches, they would know as soon as he put a toe on British soil.

Merlin forbid if he was forced to attend the Ministry Ball, he had only seen them last month there was no need to make it a habit and give them _ideas_ , in the end his attendance would be _expected_ in the future.

Nope. No way. Not over his dead body.

He was not willingly tying that noose around his neck after he had neatly sidestepped it so far. He was bored, but not _that_ bored, there was absolutely no need to tempt fate like that.

If he stepped foot into Britain there was no way he would be able to leave today and therefore miss all of his carefully laid out schedule of *ahem the following has been omitted in consideration of the party's privacy under threat of a sparking wand* and he had just spent far too much time affixing glitter in all the right places to even consider taking it off like he would have to should he walk in a family friendly area - and being dragged through the Ministry of Magic unfortunately counted as such. Plus, though proud of his work, he did **not** want it seen plastered all over the 'Daily Prophet' for weeks on end, he really didn't want to imagine what the degenerates would do with the printed photos there was a reason he vehemently declined the offer for a multi-page spread in 'PlayWitch' _and_ 'PlayWizard'. Shudder.

And since he was laying low and had no desire to be swarmed anytime soon by welcome and very _unwelcome_ guests he abstained disclosing his address even if every minute the idea was becoming more couldn't be worse than this purgatory of waiting.. No! Bad thoughts.

Maybe a book...

 **-)§(-**

Barely three minutes later, a tome sailed across the room with a disgruntled huff. He flipped over and smooched his cheek into the carpet that despite it's fluffiness brought him no joy now, his legs curling to his stomach and his but sticking up, the three tails swishing and wriggling about in frustration.

Bored he was bored. Jenna was busy away at her college, Carol was busy with town stuff and Tyler was brewing an alcohol mix that he wouldn't be surprised if it took half Mystic Fall's with it if it came anywhere near a flame.

Parents were going to have so much fun with their teenage kids tomorrow.

He needed more local friends.

He was already dressed to the nines for his upcoming Halloween-a-palooza, his outfit adjusted to perfection with not even a sprinkle of glitter out of place. First a small stint to the orient, then the Samhain ritual and celebrations in Romania, scour Europe for the best of the best and then five hours later hop back over the pond to finish the night in New York.

How fortunate that this year Samhain fell nicely on a Saturday meaning this years Halloween parties were actually on Halloween meaning he was not limited to only the magical World but the whole world as his oyster. His face lit up in glee and anticipation a gigg- manly chuckle escaped his lips as he fought the urge to wriggle in excitement. Tonight was going to be **_Epic_**.

…Still, his mood fading as time asserted itself and fantasies popped, even with all the time zone hoping it was _still_ too early for that, and that's how you found a iridescent furred and feathered hybrid laying on the floor staring around listlessly, moping and bored out of his mind.

It was such a shame he had already nabbed Salvatore the younger and gave him that Edward Cullen makeover last week as the grand finale to his prank fest and still riding the high from his weekend in the big apple; it would have been perfect as a Halloween costume. But who wants to be a one trick pony...

That is until the godsend that anticipated his Master's every need appeared with an almost silent 'pop', bringing Hadrian out of his sulk as he placed a certain case in front of his Master's eyes setting it on the floor almost reverently. "Master the stinky female leech has been found by the bunny-killer."

The effect was instantaneous, a widening of eyes and a with a flap of wings; Hadrian was up a surprised Kreacher in his arms as he twirled around exuberantly, peppering the bald head with kisses. "Kreacher you are the best!" he whooped.

Yes house elves were the God's greatest gift to wizard kind. Without them the world would go to the dogs.

"The next fool that crosses me is yours to deal with as you see fit."

Setting down the very happy elf, he snatched up the black six by six dragon hide chest, eagerly liberating the clear crystal disk nestled within. Holding it in his palm he blew on it and flicked it into the middle of the room where it started to float in the middle of the room.

"Keep the snacks coming~" he sang after the pleased elf on his way to inspect his knife collection, it's wrinkled face set in a frightening smug grin, not only had Master granted him such a generous boon but Kreacher had proven his position as Head Elf once again.

A few moments later, the air rippled and it was as if a hole was ripped into space itself and Hadrian had a first row seat to the inner sanctuary of the resident muggle bloodsuckers aka the Salvatore Boarding House. The last of his residual lethargy gone as he perked up at the eclectic mix seated at the table; a former druggie now newborn vamp with issues, a ripper currently on the dry, and a self-entitled human High school diva.

Praise Edmund Potter and his insatiable sex-drive and obsession with a certain teenage witch and his later-wife Elleadora Potter nee Rosier, that led him to put all his unfocused genius into becoming the creepiest stalker and peeping-tom and creating this lovely device. Potters never did anything by half. Sirius may have howled for days after Hadrian had shown him Edmund's journal he'd unearthed from the vaults looking for the instructions, but it hadn't stopped the lecherous old dog from begging him for a model of his own - going as far as breaking out Padfoot's irresistible puppy eyes. Which had been rather disturbing on the human face.

Back to the drama – and there _would_ be drama, all his Marauder senses were tingling…

Stefan was talking, his voice echoing through Hadrian's living room as if he were actually there;

"Coffee is our friend. It's the caffeine. It circulates through our veins, and it warms our body so we're not so cold to the touch."

…

Brainwashing?

Hadrian deadpanned with a grimace; a sales-pitch for that disgusting brew, great. Why were all in this godforsaken land so obsessed with it? Was it something in the water?

"Well, what if I wanna drink human blood?"

"You're gonna have to learn to live with that urge and fight it on a daily basis one day at time." Stefan lectured.

"Oh god! Don't start with that whole 12 steps thing. School counsellor has been down that road, and it doesn't work for me."

 **"** It can work. It's your choice, Vicki."

"So you've never tasted human blood?"

"Oooohhhh bulls-eye! Clever girl." Hadrian grinned around his popcorn. Having done some digging and via some nabbed copies of those whiney diaries of his, Hadrian knew the so genteel seeming eternal teen had no leg to stand on in lecturing _anyone_ on self-control or murder – or should he rather say butchering?

Anyhow, a few passages had firmly ripped the halo from Saint Stefan.

Never had he seen a greater hypocrite – and growing up in hypocrite-land itself _that_ was saying something! – in fact, he was almost as bad as Dumbledore. Hmm, he wondered; who was older? The colour-blind bumblebee or the fanged bunny killer? Something to ponder.

Putting his musings aside, Hadrian munched on another handful of popcorn and watched gleefully as Stefan squirmed.

"Not in a long time." Stefan finally said.

"How long?" Vicki pressed a curious tilt to her head, making Hadrian grin sharply, you go girl!

"Years and years. I'm not proud of my past behaviour."

"You shouldn't be proud of it _now_ either." Hadrian muttered.

"Does this sketchy feeling ever go away? It's like I have a massive hangover. This daylight thing is a bitch. I need more blood. Where's your bathroom? I have to pee. Why do I have to pee? I thought I was dead."

With that she stormed off, leaving the broody vampire and the girl who dumped and avoided him for a month alone in the room.

"I'm going to, uh...I'm gonna get her some more. All right." The fool stuttered out awkwardly, glancing at the blank faced girl. "I'll be quick." He reassured before he sped out of the room, leaving a disbelieving wizard frozen staring at the projection pole axed.

…

Oh yes, skip off into the woods and leave the fledgling vampire with control issues with the judgy human with a chip on her shoulder. _**Alone.**_ With no supervision at all… good going, Hadrian thought sarcastically. Sometimes he truly wondered if vampires lost more than just their humanity during transition - like their _brain._ /their _brain_ for example _._

Still…It was probably the first time he approved of anything the bunny killer did.

With an anticipatory grin, he waited on tenterhooks for the inevitable.

He didn't have to wait long and Vicki strolled back in.

He was right as barely a few minutes later Vicki strolled back in.

"False alarm. My body's feeling really funky. It's a good funk, but it's weird."

He leant forward in his seat in anticipation, that frown on Gilbert's face and that stance so full of disapproval… and they hadn't been alone together for even ten _seconds_!

"Who are you calling?" Elena demanded as soon as she saw the phone in Vicki's hands.

Control freak much? Hadrian closed his eyes for a moment in bliss. This was going to be So. Good.

"Jeremy."

He so called it!

"Vicki, you can't see Jeremy anymore."

"Oh come on don't you start. I'm gonna see whoever I wanna see."

"Even though you could _hurt_ him?"

"I would never hurt Jeremy."

"I know you think that but I can't take that risk. You're gonna have to let Jeremy go now."

"Oh really? And how long have you been preparing the 'you're not good enough' speech? I'm assuming it predates the whole vampire thing."

"All I am saying is Jeremy is not getting involved in any of this. I mean it, Vicki."

"Or what?"

There, that right there, that bitchy 'how dare you question my demands' narrow eyed stare she had going on, told Hadrian all he had to know, Queen Bee had not adapted to the existence of Vampires yet and that the druggie nobody outcast now stood above her in hierarchy.

The next moment Vicki had her by the throat and up against the wall a very satisfying crunching sound emanating from the delicate bones held in the powerful enraged grip.

 **"** Let's get one thing straight, you perky little bitch!" Vicki intoned getting right up in her captives face.

"Go Vicki! Go Vicki!" Hadrian cheered waving about conjured pompoms.

It was as if she could hear his encouragements as she proceeded to make Elena quake in her little sneakers as she scrambled for purchase.

"You had my brother whipped for fifteen years. _Fifteen_ years and then you dumped him. When I look at you that is all I see, just so you know."

Yes and in that moment Elena was completely powerless and at the mercy to the whims of someone that had fallen out of the normal patterns.

The only barrier between them was currently MIA, skipping after Bambi. To see that realisation sink into those wide doe eyes was oh so sweet.

"And I'm gonna see Jeremy whenever I wanna see Jeremy, because I have some fun new toys to play with, and I won't think twice about ripping your little head off. You got it?"

Having made her point, Vicki sent the girl a last sneer before letting go and stalking off a tiny smirk on her face as she hears slide to the floor, coughing.

Deeply moved, Hadrian broke out in applause. Brava.

Seeing he little whiner so shocked and horrified was balm to his soul, finally she get's to feel some of the deserved backlash from her constant holier-than-thou and wilful attitude.

In Mystic Falls Jenna was one of the few he was close to and more than just a passing acquaintance, therefore spent a good chunk of his free time bringing back some cheer into the spirited woman's life, yet it was no coincident that he could count on one hand the times he exchanged words with that insufferable chit of a niece. In all of his months in the town he had probably spent less than two hours in Elena Gilbert's company and that's just how he liked it. Her mere presence just rubbed him the wrong way and he couldn't stand it!; having to constantly restrain his tongue and wand in consideration to Jenna when she was so bloody annoying.

'Oh I'm Elena Gilbert. I lost my parents, oh woe is me.' It made him want to gag.

At first he hadn't been sure if it was just an act or her actual nature but watching from the sidelines through out the months he had seen her use those sad doe eyes more than once to get her way. From the tidbits he had gathered while hanging out with Tyler; it was actually her nature, her nature to use her innocent and guileless façade to get her way, that was. She subtly and constantly manipulated those around her, something that might have started on accident way-back-when, but was by now an ingrained habit that asserted itself as soon as things didn't go her way. Sometimes Hadrian wondered if she even registered it anymore - then he remembered he had better things to do than waste brain time on insipid Elena Gilbert.

It must have been such a long time ago that she had such hard words flung at her without someone immediately jumping to her defence… the poor dear. You could bet your arse he was enjoying this!

Sadly with that one move, he knew that Vicki had sealed her fate; come hell or high water Elena would ensure that Vicki would be gone and out of her life completely. Not a healthy thing for the druggie vamp, when Queen-Bee had a lovesick vampire on her leash and a second waiting in the wings.

A bare ten minutes later proved his suspicions true as he zoomed in on her already laying the ground work for that. Well she certainly is proactive…

"She threatened me." Hadrian mimicked mockingly. Really! The way she said it, it was like it was a completely foreign to the concept to her that everyone didn't just bow down to her bullshit. What an amazingly carefree life she must have lived.

Well that was over now.

He reached for more crunchy goodness at that pleasant thought… only to come up empty.

"Aww I dropped my popcorn!... Five second rule!"

* * *

 ** _So next chapter! I hope there aren't any mistakes as my chrome closed while I was editing and unfortunately it had been a while since the last save. T.T And I'd almost been done too! So frustrating! The wording had been perfect and now... well I've had to deal, if I continue now Ill probably scrap it all._**

 ** _So if you see any obvious mistakes or cut-off sentences floating around please point them out to me._**


	10. 9 Oh hangover-cure so divine

Disclaimer: tvd and Harry Potter are not mine!

Warnings: Mentions of unwilling blood sacrifices, sex, drinking and slash.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 9:**_

 **Oh hangover-cure, so divine**

 _ **Sunday 1st November, 2009**_

It was a blurry eyed Brit that stumbled into the Grill and onto one of the bar stools planting his face onto the counter after ordering a fresh pressed orange juice.

"You look like you had a rough day." An amused voice commented from beside him eyeing the streaks of silver, green and purple glitter left on his exposed nape, that peaked out from the long burberry trench coat that allowed him the illusion of decency.

All answer that elicited was a muffled groan into the counter top and a vaguely rude gesture with an arm.

There was an amused laugh beside him that he didn't deign with more than a huff. Unfortunately that didn't discourage the female at all. and he'd thought he was safe after his quick scan proclaimed this a Tyler free zone. Still there seemed to still be something like pity in this world as five minutes later - five torturous far too long and noise filled minutes - the pests attention finally wavered and them left the bar with an cheery exclamation of "Stefan!"

Again far too close and loud for his comfort and his poor head.

Wait that voice sounds familiar… A frown wrinkled his brow. Never mind.

He was so done, but he knew better than go directly home, one wouldn't be able to believe the amount a single house elf could possess but he for one did not feel like being subjected to those big mothering eyes staring up at him in disappointment as well as the tongue-lashing/scolding for not taking better care of himself. So yes a glass of orange juice in the far too full local bar was the way to go.

Why was it that full though? It was a day after Halloween and they were not in mexico there is no need for them all to be so chipper. If he'd actually given a fuck instead of just being mildly irritated at the noise level he might have invested the energy to find out the reason.

He sighed in bliss at the return of silence as people caught the hint and gave him a wide berth after he flared his magic out stingingly after a chav hollered to the bartender over his defenceless head, even if the courtesy was entirely unconscious and enforced on the inconsiderate prats. He was grateful.

It truly should be illegal to be as exhausted as him, even if mentioned to him that it was his own fault for over doing it, it would fall on deaf ears. One did not point out the faults and truths a powerful wizards that lacked sleep and was drained physically, mentally and magically as persons of that calibre always still had enough left to land a truly debilitating curse. It was magical survival 101. Still he was not bullheaded enough to deny that following that delectable high priest to the hidden Aztec Temple and participate in the ritual in honour of Mictēcacihuātl the Lady of the dead, especially after barely being able to walk straight after their little romp in the side chambers. Really there was no resisting that caramel skin encasing the toned muscles that rippled with every move... sigh. Thick gold bands and jewelry had never looked so good either. Of course he agreed to the ritual it was a high honour to be granted to actively participate in the ancient ritual, to decline would have been the highest insult. The goodwill of an Aztec was not something he was eager to test lest they get the idea he might be the better blood sacrifice in the place of the muggle that had so graciously given his life that day. That said muggle had been a 100 % unwilling was of no interest to any of those present,it had never been.

Honestly, he sometimes really wondered about the willful blindness of the muggles, not only did they have a raging vampire problem here in the US, but they actually believed that Cortez and his merry band of Conquistadors had managed to fully exterminated a culture that set their gods above all and so devotedly paid their tributes in blood offerings. No one ever noticed the number of mysteriously disappearing people from their midst whose blood continued to drench the altars to this day.

So yes witnessing and lending magic to an ancient 3000 year ritual in honour of a goddess on top of his usual Samhain exploits strained even the might and power of the mightiest of all potions the hangover-cure, unfortunately his house elves were far too perceptive and devoted to miss a detail like that. So orange juice it was until the rest of his headache evaporated.

 **-)§(-**

Hadrian came back from the loo, pushing himself though the crowd of too noisy people, reclaimed his stool, ordered his third glass of juice and resumed his patented 'I-don't-bloody-care-leave-me-the-fuck-alone-I'm-too-tired-to-deal-with-you pose' yes it was a thing and happened to be a favourite of his. No copying.

"-he Brittle. It wins award."

"Cut the crap." Joy. The pest was back

"Okay, I have a diabolical master plan."

"What is it?" the female from earlier demanded sharply a dangerous inflection in her words that had earlier been absent.

"If I told you it wouldn't be very _diabolical_ , now would it?"

"..."

"..."

...A little situational awareness wouldn't have gone amiss here. _That'_ s what he gets for trying to avoid his mothering house elf; little sins like that always demanded their pound of flesh immediately.

Fuck it he was not moving. Talks of nefarious plots and verbal ping pong over his head or not, this was his stool for tonight, he had been here first. No that was not a stubborn pout either he was just testing if the feeling in his bottom lip had come back yet or still full on striking from the nights abuse.

Really that voice was familiar…

Turning his head lazily so his left cheek may also experience the wonder of being smooched against cool slightly sticky wood, he blinked at the blond figure in a dark top. He couldn't quite swallow the groan when he _recognised_ said person. Hadrian dropped his head back on the counter top with a dull thud from where he'd raised it in his piqued interest. He also resisted the urge to repeat the action as a slight sting travelled across his forehead, maybe rattling his brain a bit would knock the sense back into him.

Of course, his chocked sound of dismay did not go unnoticed, trapped between two vampires as he was – really he deserved a slap for stupidly walking into the midst of _that._ Hadrian was acutely aware of the two gazes boring into his back and low and behold he found himself under the scrutiny of a female vampire as she focused the might of her three centuries plus on him.

Lexi Branson.

And he'd been so careful to avoid her while on Jen's Birthday bash! It just his luck to have her turn up right where he _didn't_ want her. He was very happy being just the rich human lord here but one word of Lexi within the earshot of those nosy pests and it was bye-bye peace and quiet, hello suspicious stalkers that dodged his steps like a wart on an arse.

He wanted to whine and wail in dismay and take a page out of Neville's book; _why is it always me?_

How could he forget the impulsive, fang and stab happy vampire at his back, overhearing him talk about diabolical plans should have been ample warning. Merlin if he got through this, neck unsnapped, he would seriously have to pick up his training again; he was getting disturbingly lax, totally knackered or not that was no excuse.

Damon slid closer from the other end of the bar a taunt on his lips that had the female vampires far too accessing gaze snap to him. But it was too late he had already seen the recognision flash in those hazel eyes, see her body involuntarily twitch in surprise at finding him here in a place like this.

Oh bloody blazing hell!

He must have done something right as for once fate seemed to take pity on his headache riddle poor self and intervened.

Just as he was debating whether he could inconspicuously wipe her memory before she finished to open her mouth and blow his carefree life to hell, the sheriff rode in on her white stallion to save the day; slamming an injection of concentrated vervain into her side without so much as a by your leave before dragging a gasping Lexi outside with her deputies, like a true hero.

Well that was that.

At least he could mark of this October with a tick on his calendar. Another Halloween that he had survived. Huzzah. Once that headache reliever kicked in he had a whole year in peaceful US small town to look forward to.

 **-)§(-**

As predicted the month of November rolled around peacefully for the British Lord in town/Potter Heir. With Jenna still gloating about her shiny new motorcycle licence he had managed to acquire for after an impromptu test during their B-day getaway– it had taken some pull to get it done on a single day on a _Sunday,_ but a little magic here a bit of compulsion there and voila~; he had a very happy Jenna on his hands. He was going to make a badass out of her yet. – he didn't have to worry about pulling anything drastic to cheer her up as even though he knew that niece of hers was back to sneaking around for now Jenna was blissfully unaware as one of her main concerns had dropped away as moody Gilbert suddenly had a _miraculous_ change of heart and was back on the straight and narrow.

…

Yeah. No. Hadrian wasn't touching _that_ with a ten foot pole. Lil' Gilbert could be an alien that ate the mopey original and now wore his skin like a full-body condom for all he cared, as long as it didn't try to eat Jenna and kept well away from him he didn't give a rat's arse.

Wonders of wonders he even managed to drag Jenna along when he and Carol went to a festival when she was usually so strangely reluctant to come along on any of their trips after the first few times – but it may because it's the Virginia Film Festival and she's a sucker for movies. They managed to drag Tyler along a few times who enjoyed himself despite his grumbling.

Then there was Thanksgiving. Even now after experiencing it for himself he still doesn't get the hype of that particular tradition, definitely a patriotic cultural thing. He really wondered though, after a look at the history of it, if the Native American descendants celebrated the day too or rightfully recognised it as their biggest mistake and cursed the actions of their naïve ancestors that fateful day, it would have been so much better for them had the settlers starved. He knew better than to ask though, for one he knew a little something called tact, also who to ask? Jenna would just laugh herself sick and Carol… well he was not ashamed to admit he was a teensy bit terrified of her reaction.

So he accepted the meal in with a grateful smile, brought gravy and a bottle of his best wine from his cellars and shut up, enjoying one of the most decadent dinners he had every seen along with a monster of a turkey he had trouble believing actually existed outside the monstrosity Mr Bean got his _whole_ _head_ stuck in.

And bloody hell, that woman could _cook_! Richard Lockwood did not deserve that woman.

He also bashfully accepted the invite to stay over as getting up those few stairs to the guest room was all he could manage and even that only with the help of a superior Tyler – how he had been able to be so chipper and agile when he had eaten almost double Hadrian's massive portions. What was wrong with the Lockwood men?

Hadrian, whose belly was so bloated and tender he suffered from the slightest touch to the point even the stretched fabric of his shirt was uncomfortable, was reduced to waddling as he gingerly picked his way to through the far too long walk to his nightly quarters. He truly entertained thoughts of pushing that laughing knob down the stairs… but he resisted; he knew without Tyler's supporting grip he would not make it up to his room as not only was the prat's mother capable of forcing down inhuman amounts of food down his throat with sweet smiles alone but also understood to accompany such exquisite food with the appropriate beverages, the kind that saw to it that his vision was slightly wonky and his feet not as steady as he would like despite his monstrous tolerance. No matter how peeved and tipsy; a night on the cold uncomfortable marble steps sounded positively torturously fiendish, not something that was in his plans for the night. Unfortunately, apparition was not an option, as the the mere thought alone had his cheeks turn ashen and stomach rebel as nausea roiled.

...So he desisted from his impulses, swallowed his scathing words along with his pride, and clung to his far too cheerful helper, humongous arse or not.

He really should have kept his hands off the desert but the devious woman had baked a treacle tart just for him, how could he spurn such a touching gesture?

Yes it was peaceful and as unmagical and un-supernatural as a wizards life could get: He oversaw the last touches of his new mansions construction pleased that he'd had the foresight to push the workers to be done with the roof before the rain days really started, the interiors remained dry as the solid cement and brick walls set and dried out at an accelerated rate thanks to the flick of a wand and took joy in taking out his points and let his artistic side loose on the prepared walls.

He did a few hours in his antique shop feeling decidedly like the Tom Riddle of old, charming people into parting with or buying trinkets via honeyed words though glad he was spared the lurking form of Burke. Being ones own boss was great.

Massacring Tyler at all the video games he possessed, antagonising and nettling old Mayor a bit while he was already in the vicinity, and pouring over December plans and upcoming Miss Mystic Fall's plans with Carol who left nothing to chance and was determined to outdo all other years and finally push the performance of the previous madame Lockwood from it's pedestal.

It was the last days of November that Hadrian descended into a baking frenzy like that kitchen had never seen before. He wore his special Mastercook, sugary snakes slithering over the green fabric in cute designs and with it's large pocket. The oven was smouldering in constant use expelling scorching waves of heat and mouthwatering odours upon every opening adding to the heavy scent of spices, sugar and bakery in the air. And every available surface was covered with cooling backing sheets in various stages of completion.

Not only producing frosted biscuits of every size and flavour, but also cupcakes, tiny mini cakes of all varieties from creamy - to crunchy - to fruity, and other chocolaty goodies, going as far as making his own chocolate lollies in Christmas themes. An ankle-biter or someone with a sweet-tooth would have probably fainted at seeing the massive spread. The only witness to the spectacle didn't care, Mindy in her cute pink frilly apron master had especially commissioned for her with her name embroidered proudly on the front, was humming enthusiastically as she divided and then packed them in the cute, numbered stasis charm inscribed boxes Master had transfigured helping in putting together the most decadent Christmas calendar this little town had ever seen. Three times.

Staring down in satisfaction at the cardboard boxes, Hadrian signed off the last Christmas card before tucking it under the ribbon, one for each. Yawning he instructed Kreacher to deliver them early next morning – or rather in a few scant hours - in time for the first day of the jolly frosty month.

Far too soon his eyelids were forced back open as he was ripped from his treacle tart riddled dreams – spending such a large amount of time immersed in desserts and christmas goodies was bound to leave it's mark - by two squealing calls of a gloating Jenna and a very touched Carol, followed closely by Tyler's more subdued response in the form of a text message. Hadrian smirked in amusement trying to visualize the teens reaction when he assembled the wolf themed calendar he'd customized from him using an old sketch of Tyler's as an template – transfiguration was so useful and time saving! – the text he'd received had awkwardly proclaimed it to be the gayest thing anyone had ever done for him but he approved if that meant mini pies with rum laced cherries everyday. The teens resemblance to his mother was truly undeniable sometimes.

Satisfied and pleased at the enthusiastic responses, Hadrian promptly turned over and decided to get more shut-eye, resolving not to bother with the world beyond his comfy bed and fluffy pillows until lunch at the earliest. He had a lot of sleep to catch up on.

Despite the lack of snow that would usually already grace the Hogwarts grounds this time of year he had a feeling that this month was looking promising already.

Slumbering innocently, he was unaware how right he was, as even at that very moment the letter he'd yearned for so wistfully, so anxiously, was on it's way to him via strong wings, secured in the claws of a sharp-beaked raptor of a bird bearing the Gringott's coat of arms.

* * *

 _ **Ta-da** **My attempt at a cliff-hanger! Mean I know. I usually hate and curse them so much, so I wanted to try and inflict it on someone else for a change now that I post chapters myself lol**_

 _ **Rate and review people!**_

 **Review responses;**

 _ **Thank you so much for the lovely reviews and a happy new year to you all too. Lately I've been a bit lazy answering them so here you go:**_

 **(natasha. jones .1654:** _ **My Harry – since discovering the carnal pleasure of uncompromising sex – is open for everything (everything not too crazy that is i.e bestiality ugh!) So man, woman and anything in between as long as there is chemistry. But the end pairing will definitely be MALE, it would be a crime to not make use of the hotties gallivanting around so freely in the tvd verse. As for Harry's age; I'm keeping the ages and timelines totally cannon, Harry was born 1980 and started Hogwarts 1991 just like in the books. The same goes for tvd my story is set in 2009. I know they mention multiple times that Harry is seventeen and the same age as Elena and co but that doesn't mean it's true, they also think Hadrian Black is his true name. They only know what Hadrian told them.**_

 **speedy-skye:** _ **Pairings are still undecided, buuuutttt I can tell you that Hadrian and Klaus will get along like a house on fire lol I foresee fun times in the future.**_

 **IrisTurner:** _ **And a happy new year to you too! I'm glad you like how I'm depicting Elena, it is only now that I'm re-watching it with a close eye that I notice all the subtle manipulations. I used to be a super Delena fan but now I don't think she ever deserved Damon at all, she ruined him. I actually like Kathrine a lot more as all her actions are geared to one goal; survival.**_

 **Multiplelifes:** _ **Thanks so much! Hmm then you have the opposite problem than me I usually have so much to say that I can't decide what so I usually end up writing nothing at all if I can't restrain myself so I don't frighten the poor author lol**_

 _ **Also:**_ _ **Welcome to the club of 'let's make Princess Gilbert sweat a bit'.**_

 _ **The more I re-watch the episodes the more I dislike her, where it only used to be Bonnie for being such a judgemental bitchy witch to my Damon. I don't think I could restrain myself from bashing her even if you paid me =-="**_


	11. 10 A Nest isn't a Nest if

**Disclaimer;** Nor Vampire Diaries or Harry Potter belong to me or there would have been some choice deaths fairly early on.

 **Warnings;** there is a bit of cultural dissing in the form of bashing US construction practices. Note that it has been exaggerated a little for the sake of the story as Hadrian is not only unashamedly British therefore; everything not done the good ole British way is **wrong,** but is also used to living in a castle with walls thicker than a person and stairs that endure _**Hagrid!**_ so yeah... he is a bit of a snob there. He still see's them all as heathens anyway for spurning his beloved tea.  
Though I have to admit that part with those fake stone pillars was a genuine reaction I'd just watched a Tool show where they built these amazing terraces and had admired those rustic stone pillars with their flair, only to be beyond horrified that they had to be removed because they were **rotted** and were basically nothing but very long boxes of wood decorated with stone, _not_ the solid pillars I had expected, totally incomprehensible for my European self.

Also there will be a bit of Elena bashing so you have that to look forward to.

* * *

 ** _Chapter 10_ :**

 **A nest is not a nest if you haven't nested.**

 _ **Tuesday 1st December, 2009**_

The peace and relaxation Hadrian had enjoyed on the early hours of the 1st December morning died a premature death before he even had time to properly appreciate it, in fact it was gone as soon as midday of the very same day. Hadrian was miserably restless since the moment that Mindy had roused him from bed for lunch and that feeling didn't abate but persisted and set the tune for the rest of the day. No calming draught or tea changed that, no book could hold his attention, as he fidgeted and twitched every time he stayed in one place. He lasted barely two hours before he threw in the towel and resolved to do something productive with the abundance of energy he had to burn, turning his attention to the his longest and almost-done-now project; his Mansion.

Since September he had made unbelievable strides, impossible ones by any muggle standards as after the groundwork and foundations had been lain so expertly, the multiple wardstones had been set and imbedded and the magic settled, putting his plans in reality had been a thing of beauty especially since half of the property was taken up by the massive mountains of ready-to-use materials that were just waiting to be set in their right place like pieces of a puzzle. From the oak beams and cypress floor boards to the solid stone brinks, the marble and to the tiniest bathroom tile; all was there especially prepared according to his wishes and soaked in magic. In fact, most had been done by his very own hand; Every. Single. Item – it had been a very tiring exhausting summer and _not_ because of the heat - his diligence would have made old Helga weep tears of joy.

It was worth it though.

Compared to the nuisance of the tedious preparations the rest was a piece of cake as it was as simple as putting together a puzzle; he was a good puzzler and with the meticulous blue prints he'd drawn up, all his workers were too. It helped that with the might of magic and superior supernatural strength in form of muscled werewolves and a few vials of strength enhancing potions coupled with feather-light charms, there was no need for any cumbersome cranes or elaborate muggle machinery at that point as hoisting around the tons of solid materials required hardly more effort than arranging children's blocks.

Also with the little fact that the wonders of magic negated the need for electricity, time consuming wiring into solid brick walls – yes, there would be **_no_** scrimping in his Mansion and resorting to the _American_ way of building houses that consisted of a bit of wood and nothing else but thin air and thin plates as walls. He had been beyond horrified to find out that the nice natural stone pillars he had eyed up in one of those Tool/Make-over shows had in fact been nothing but a trickery! A thin façade over wood nothing more. Worse, that had been a million dollar house they were renovating and even the professional workers had found that completely normal.

And they truly wondered that every hurricane and tornado caused such devastation… _Muggles_.

No, he'd pulled aside his foremen immediately and was immensely relieved that they held onto their roots and were full on board, he would like his house to be able to proudly weather every challenge nature throws at it, not even a spark of magic needed as additional support. No Sir, his Masterpiece would not collapse like a house of cards the moment there was a storm. Ergo, he was keeping to the old, vetted and tried method of his ancestors and built like it had been done for thousands of years before him; with stone, bricks and a generous amount of cement.

He did not pour over countless architectural journals and mathematical charts to have all his hours of hard work to be potentially be destroyed by a single match, or cower and be forced down into the dungeons every time the weather turned a bit temperamental. No, following in the footsteps of the 'old world' it was, thank-you-very-much.

Anyway, – where was he? Ah yeah – due to the involvement of magic; the necessity of wires in general was rendered redundant. It sped the whole building process up by a fair bit as there was no need to gouge slots into the walls for the network of cables and wires, it made everything so much simpler.

In two months, all walls were up, rendered and primed, the flooring laid, windows put in and roof enthroned on top. Wards, he had personally set and had made sure to lay beforehand so they were automatically built up along with every rune-inscribed brick and beam added, creating a monster of a fortress that would make even 'Mad-Eye' Moody dizzy with the sheer paranoia being displayed – Hadrian was very sure his Black blood had been in play there during their inception – a he was half tempted to revive the old codger just to rub it in his face and watch him turn green in envy. So tempted.

Now while the workers did the grunt work and finished the various loose bobs and ends, Hadrian only had the fun part left; the beautification. And he was so looking forward to it, his mind so crammed with ideas that his fingers itched to bring them into reality. His sabbatical to the farthest reaches of the world had not been wasted as he'd soaked in culture, taste and ideas, awakening a lust for adventure and decadence that had been so forcefully squashed in his early life and conclusively burst open his last shackles giving him the freedom to finally spread his wings. It was his travels and with the influence of the most sinful Italian painter that he found a new outlet and that ignited his passion for painting and releasing his hitherto suppressed artistic inclinations – it was not the only thing released but that was beside the point here and better left to reminiscence in the privacy of a bedroom.

With all that in mind, the afternoon of the 1st Hadrian strolled through the doors of magical paint shops in Munich, Florence and Kyoto and near bought them out as he swept through them like a tornado, leaving harried but very pleased employees in his wake, waving him off and counting their coins.

It was hours later when the afternoon sun hung low and it's light streamed in through the massive arched windows and painted patterns of light and shadows on the polished marble that one found Hadrian doing just that. The grand ballroom was undeniably one of the most exquisite creations born from his feather; the room blossoming especially during this hour as it was lit in the warm glow of the dying sun, the sunlight refracting and catching on calculatingly placed reflective elements and gemstones that threw rainbows across the room and made for a breathtaking spectacle in the elegant room fit for kings. The effect was enchanting as non of the bustle from the rest of the house penetrated through the grand, carved double doors, keeping it wrapped into a peaceful bubble with only the soft notes of humming floating through the air. And that was just how Hadrian liked it as he relaxed into repetition.

Sitting sideways on his firebolt, bare feet dangling lazily, a plethora of paint buckets floating about him, and paintbrush in hand some twenty feet in the air near the curved ceiling of his grand ballroom, he was right at home as he lost himself in the colours, bringing his imagination to life with every stroke of his brush.

He was just putting the finishing touches to Aphrodite's nose, when he felt he wards ping and the flapping of wings became audible interrupting the quiet serenity, inducing him to lower his brush as he tilted his head and waited.

There was an unmistakable shriek and a great shadow shot in through the open window.

Glancing down to he spied the fierce form of the new Gringotts owls, decked out in it's special dragon-hide and goblin iron ensemble, eyes widening Hadrian immediately abandoned his current pursuit and banished his paints into the corner of the room and drifted down to the floor giving full attention to the owl that was just as formidable as it's employer. Landing on his feet, his unblinking attention was on the scarlet ribbon attached to the small helmet signifying the highest security. Conjuring a sturdy perch, Hadrian watched the hulking form of the killer-machine of a bird fly an arc through the ballroom it's intensity in flight more reminiscent of that of a dragon than an owl. Gringotts took it _very_ hard that their mail had been intercepted by a third party, their own owls falling prey to mail re-direction wards. Goblin Pride was not satisfied in gutting said offenders' vaults and therefore their new owls were created, the length goblins went to when spurned was equal parts astounding as it was terrifying. He rather not think about how exactly they did so because despite their smaller size, feathers and flight capabilities they were eerily reminiscent of raptors – as in _velociraptors_. To be honest he had his doubts said creation could still be even classified as an _owl_. He couldn't deny they were effective though; only a gormless nutter would mess with these.

The Gringotts 'owl' glided to it's offered seat gracefully, it's large – deadly – sickle-like claws sinking into the wood like butter as it clenched it's grip, staring him down with unblinking eyes. Did he mention they were crimson? Because they were bloodcurlingly eerie, he could live with a crimson eyed Voldemort, but on far too vicious avians... shudder.

Dipping his head slightly, but never breaking eye-contact, Hadrian entered the play that was the new security measures. "Greeting's to Gringotts." He intoned before straightening, receiving a squaking screech and that disturbing head motion that made him regret his insistence on watching the entire Jurassic Park saga on the big screen – he could outfly a dragon but dinosaurs just creeped him out.

It was only after he had uttered his own personal password of "SharpClaw" that he dared approach and press a bloodied finger to the dark cylindrical case and happily receive his letter as his blood, magical signature and fingerprint proved to be concordant.

Knowing the drill Kreacher was there a second later and threw the beast of a bird the carcass of a rabbit before popping away pronto, as a Black elf Kreacher knew how to deal with predators walking amongst the sheep, many elves had not been as insightful and paid for the oversight; one did not offer a carnivore such as this one _owl treats_.

Hadrian was just grateful Hedwig was not in the vicinity, his princess was far too precious for that skulking monstrosity no matter how much it puffed up it's impressive plumage or how many dog-sized carcasses he dragged in… also; possible offspring of that union scared the living daylights out of him! He'd had nightmares of the little monsters with Hedwig's intelligence raised as her own personal army, don't get him wrong; he loved his Hedwig, he really did, she was a Queen and he didn't really deserve her... but she could be bloody scary when she was in a snit. The thought of her passing down her overprotective streak onto sharper clawed mutant mini-clones was so terrifying he wanted to hide under the duvet. He just knew they would also be so cute and adorable - they were _Hedwig's_ sprog there was no way they could be anything but the most precocious little monsters on earth - he would be completely defenceless with one look of those too big amber eyes. Life as he knew it would be **over.**

Any thought of a nest of velociraptor clawed mother-hens flew from his mind as soon as he read the first sentence, his angst blown away and a squeal escaping his lips as he lost himself and jumped up and down in pure joy. Yes, yes, yesss finally he'd have his family complete again on the 12th! Soon... only sleeping eleven more times and then he'd have his little man back! Eleven days - well really ten because this one was as good as over and he'd open the doors of his house and it would become a real home.

...Ten days...

He froze his euphoria dying an abrupt and cruel death as his eyes swiveled to take in the mess outside the windows, this was a 50 plus room mansion that had only four finished rooms along with some greenhouses as well as his lovingly nourished private magical garden. That was not a home. That wasn't nearly enough. The garden still looked like it insulted the honour of a particular vicious herd of hippogriffs and his furniture consisted of a desk and and a key-cabinet in the entrance hall. A slight hysteria creeping up on him.

He only had ten days… swallowing his horror and viciously cutting himself off with a well-placed self-inflicted slap across the cheek that worked wonders and nipped the bud of his bout of panic before he hyperventilated. He stalked from the room with purpose and a stinging face as he felt the old, familiar stubborn determination set in that was feared by his enemies and friends alike. He **would** turn this house into the perfect home for him and his godson in ten days even if he had to crawl over corpses and enslave half the town to do so.

His Teddy would have his promised perfect home when he got here...

All over the property workers and employees shared a collected shudder as a sense of impending doom descended on them and they felt as if they suddenly had a death sentence hanging over them. That night men cried manly tears deep into the night and wished for their mommies as they were driven into the ground by a death-eyed demon.

It was not until days later, after their work was finally complete; the last nail hammered and the last tile set, that they were finally released from their torment, the men resembling zombies more than actual men when they stumbled from the property, the effects of the consecutive pepper-ups finally catching up. As agreed per contract, the layout and exact location of the Manor disappeared from their exhausted minds as soon as they crossed over the boundary line. Not that any of them gave a flying fuck, the lot of them too relieved to have escaped from between the devil's claws and dreaming of fluffy pillows and the warm bodies of awaiting wives, they made themselves scarce before the Lord could change his mind, their buttocks cushioned by the thick wads of cash as the drove off.

 **-)§(-**

 ** _Thursday 3rd December, 2009_**

It seemed like Mystic Fall's simply couldn't cope without his scintillating presence, as not even two days later - he wasn't taking a piss; a mere _two_ days of absence and he found Jenna on his doorstep.

Well he was not going to turn away a willing pair of extra hands.

Jenna had no chance of escape. Before she could realise it, the door had fallen closed behind her and she was being pulled through the labyrinth of corridors in a dizzying march that left her so disorientated it took her a few minutes of staring blankly at the wall in front of her, before she noticed she had a paint roller in her hand. Being a woman in possession of a pragmatism that surfaced at the strangest of times, she surrendered to her fate and indulged her friend that had far too bright at the moment and looked more akin to a paint demon than the blithe aristocrat she was used to.

Some mindlessly slavery turned out to be exactly what Jenna needed as she forgot her heavy thoughts and to fully relaxed into the banter Hadrian drew her into, breathing easy for the first time since breakfast.

It didn't take long until the events of the past week spilled from her lips which he drew from her with a reproachful look She should have known better than let her guard down as a bare hour later she was regarded with a deeply reproachful look after she had relayed the events of the past week, Hadrian using his honeyed words to pull all her secrets from her nose as he had a talent to sniff them out like a niffler scenting gold. He was not impressed.

Especially when he heard heard of her latest, lackluster encounter with Logan.

"Yes, so _inconvenient,_ now that you have your eyes on another, right? A certain cute new history teacher." Hadrian commented with a sly grin, taking immense joy in seeing her ears flame crimson instantly.

"Well did you use your infamous nutcracker move on him at least?"

"…I forgot."

Hadrian gasped scandalised. "Jen! How could you?!"

She threw a towel at him. "No, seriously! We go to those lessons for a _reason,_ what did you do just stand there and stare at him?"

"No! I mean! Yes – _this_ is why I didn't want to tell you!"

"No you didn't want to tell me because you are deeply ashamed of yourself. As you should. In fact you could kick yourself for not kicking him."

"…Why do you have to make so much sense even if you don't?!"

"It's a gift~." Hadrian sang swinging his paintbrush with a flourish. "Just wait until all your unfortunate vic- I mean _sparing_ _partners,_ hear you let Logan off the hook so easily."

Jenna pretended she didn't hear that far too cheerfully delivered threat – oh, it definitely was one – and quickly changed the subject, "Isn't this red too dark?"

Being the generous and selfless person he was Hadrian allowed it graciously.

(There were going to be enough opportunities to elaborate that in their next Martial Arts lessons after all. His inner sadist and Marauder smirked evilly on the inside as a tail and horns sprouted.)

"Nah, it'll be perfect when it's dry." Even if not; this was _magical_ _paint_ not uninspired insipid muggle paint, the bucket was simply marked RED for a reason. With a tap of the wand you could cycle the colour through the entire spectrum, from almost a pink rosé to a dark maroon. Though he was liking that fresh raspberry it was now, it would go wonderfully with the yew dining table he had in mind.

"Now hush and no dissing the paint, I'm still miffed it took you three days to tell me not only did Logan show his ugly mug but that you found yourself new eye-candy to drool over." Hadrian gave an offended sniff. "A _real_ friend would have called and shared immediately after the fact, no matter how late it was."

Obviously Jenna couldn't listen to save her life, and the two dissolved into another round of bickering that lasted far too long considering it was about nothing.

He saw her checking her phone again, it was not the first time he saw her do so, Jenna seemed to have an uncommon fascination with her phone today."Jen? What's wrong?"

"Elena. She just didn't come home last night and when she finally did call she gave me some BS story about sleeping at a friends and going to school early, which would have been fine; if I wasn't just notified that she wasn't in any of her classes."

"So, she lied."

"She lied," Jenna reiterated stonily, her teeth once again attacking her lip aggressively before she caught herself and released a laden sigh, tugging a hand through her hair. "I just don't know what's going on she's usually the one I don't have to worry about, the responsible one."

Hadrian carefully contained his instinctive snort in face of that morsel of blasphemy, his movements stilling as he contemplated how to handle this particular golden opportunity laid out before him so innocuously.

Ah, to hell with it.

"Do you want my honest opinion?" he eventually asked carefully, deliberately keeping his attention on his task even when he felt Jenna's burning gaze boring into his skull.

Silence.

Jenna stared at him for a long while wrangling with indecisiveness before she finally gave in to her curiosity despite the knot of apprehension she felt growing in the pit of her stomach.

She knew Hadrian for over a year now, and not once was he in the habit of mincing his words, he never hesitating to speak his mind no matter how blunt it may be. He called it like he saw it. So to hear these words from him guaranteed that she wasn't going to like what she was about to hear. She took a fortifying breath and turned around to face him fully. "Okay give it to me straight, I think I need to hear this."

"I think you do." Hadrian concurred softly before turning to give her his full attention abandoning his pretence of nonchalance as his incredible eyes, so intense and serious, bored into hers.

"You know I'm not overly fond of your niece and nephew, and not just because you had to cancel an amazing opportunity and return to the US early, forcing _me_ to follow you to this hick town."

Jenna's lips twitched at his petulant tone as he threw that statement out. "You never made a secret out of it."

"Yeah I doubt they noticed anyway." He muttered before turning back to the matter at hand, "I know you were mainly worried about Jeremy because he was acting out so much but I never thought it was _him_ you have to loose sleep over, even before he was back on the straight and narrow."

"Elena." Jenna stated, not able to keep the note of disbelief from her voice.

He nodded sharply. "She is your niece, and you love her, so you don't want to hear it but from where I'm watching it appears as if you don't know her at all.

Even before returning here you used to talk quite a bit about your sister and that perfect family of her's... when you weren't deliberately avoiding the subject. So before I ever met them I already had an idea of what they were like, and while you were almost spot on with Jeremy even as addled as his brain was with pain and drugs, I simply couldn't - and still can't - see anything of the Elena you told me about in the real thing. Rather my low opinion of her from our first meeting plummeted straight into the cellar watching her these past months."

She wanted to protest, say something and defend her niece but the words stuck in her throat. She was struck mute as she stared into those green, green eyes that were alight with an otherworldly glow, eyes that seemed to see everything as they peered through all facades and froze her soul.

"You have this certain... _image_ of her; a kind selfless girl, active in the community, energetic cheerleader, aspiring writer, caring older sister, mature and responsible daughter…

She's nothing of the sort, the only thing she's better at than getting her way is misdirecting the attention away from her own mistakes and failings, and until now she had it _very_ easy with Jeremy being the glaring beacon of teenage rebellion. From what I've personally observed; she's not any more responsible than Jeremy is she just didn't turn to drugs like he did and is far better at presenting a certain image that people want to see.

"She knows that in most eyes she can do no wrong and exploits that false perception mercilessly against you to wriggle out of even the most minuscule of scoldings, all it takes is a mention of a problem with her boyfriend or what her mom would have done or said."

The words hit Jenna like a ton of bricks.

"From where I'm standing, it often looks likes she's playing you like a fiddle either by not telling about important things you should know or using your inexperience and your own guilt against you, and that just makes me so incredibly furious and disgusted with her, I could hurl every time I see her face." Hadrian spat, _just_ managing to swallow the epithet of 'manky slag' before it could pass his lips, no matter how justified he felt, he wanted to help Jenna open her eyes not release his considerable load of bottled-up frustration of bit back words on the subject...

...he was only semi successful in that.

In a more controlled tone of voice and retracted claws he continued, making sure to never break eye-contact with he now pale aunt of two to convey the gravity of the situation. "In the past few weeks since she's together with that Stefan, I noticed her develop a self-entitlement and a rather disgusting holier-than-tho attitude, she seems to labour under the impression that _she_ is the current Gilbert Head of House and knows everything best at her tender seventeen years of life." He drawled.

"You will **never** be the proper guardian you strive to be as long as you let her walk all over you! You need to dig up that backbone of steel I know you have and show her that her actions have consequences."

Having said his piece, he returned to painting, tactfully giving his friend space and letting Jenna ponder over his words quietly. He was not surprised when a few moments later the door slammed closed and he found himself alone in the room; he'd seen the doubt and denial on her face but he prayed to anyone that might listen, that at least some of his words would sink in.

He could only hope, as he did not want to be witness to the bleak future that would come to pass should the little miss go on unchecked, probably one filled with body bags.

* * *

That's it folks! Too harsh? Not harsh enough? Tell me what you think off Hadrian's attempt to open Jenna's eyes to Elena's wiles whilst the girl in question is busy in Georgia with Damon. Let's see what awaits her when she gets back...


	12. 11 A Princess Called Onto The Carpet

**_Disclaimer;_** _I still don't own Harry Potter or Vampire Diaries._

* * *

 ** _Chapter 11:_**

 **A Princess called onto the Carpet.**

 ** _Friday 4_** ** _th_** ** _December, 2009_**

Now _normally_ , one did not visit someone you had driven off the day before by thoroughly dragging the good name of their relative through the mud – even if it was all true and you were totally in the right. But Hadrian Potter, currently Black, was never nor will ever, be _normal_ ; so these conventional laws did not apply to him.

So it was only natural he found himself doing just that the very next day.

Ergo, early next morning Hadrian let himself inside the Gilbert home, to find a fretting Jenna lingering in the hall pacing about. His entrance far from the subtle on he had intended due to her unfortunate placement, preventing any ideas of the surreptitiously 'testing the waters', he froze as her head snapped in his direction the second the door closed behind him. Where was this alertness coming from? Where was the zombie Jenna that usually walked the earth at mornings, before the first cup of that bitter swill? Typical, the one time it would have actually been useful…

Hadrian plastered a placid smile on his face, one that didn't even twitch at the blatant disappointment on her face when she saw it was him.

Gee, he was really feeling the _love_ today.

"G' Morning." He greeted her pleasantly.

"…Morning."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"I'm sorry I left so early, even though I promised to help you out." Jenna blurted out, unable to take the awkwardness anymore as he stood there, serenely gazing at her as if he had all the time in the world and smiling that creepy smile of his. It was unnerving.

"That's quite alright. I told you some things you didn't want to hear; it's understandable that you needed time alone to sort your thoughts and feelings. I apologise that it came out a bit harsh, that was not my intention."

…And now he made it even worse. She knew he wasn't pleased. He may talk the talk but those eyes were telling a different story and she suddenly felt ten inches tall. There was a small stretch of silence as they both stood in the room and Jenna tried and failed to think of an ice-breaker. Unfortunately he was ready to do it for her.

"Is Elena back yet?" came the far too innocent question.

"No she is NOT!" Jenna gritted out. "The first call she deigned to answer she acted like my worrying was over the top and as soon as I tried to mention the call from school she cut me off! She just hung up. And then ignored all my other calls! Then this _**morning**_ I get a call from Sheriff Forbes informing me that through an anonymous call at 5 am they found her car, totalled, lying half-hidden at the side of the road. From what I was told it has been there since WEDNESDAY NIGHT!"

Okaaay, that was a no.

There was no denying the secret thrill he felt at the expressed vehemence. Hmmm… maybe this would go over better than he had thought.

"It might be better that way. I have something to show you."

 **-)§(-**

Hours later, Jenna hadn't made much progress. Other than mitigating seven feet to the left and settling on the sofa, the situation was the same as her temper brewed in her as she waited, wrestling with her temper as it brewed uncomfortably in the pit of her stomach.

She was agitatedly flipping the pages of a magazine, when Elena finally walked in. Hearing the front door open, she abandoned torturing the magazine and whirled around, hazel eyes darkening as they settled on the form of her wayward niece.

"I don't set a lot of rules, Elena. Not with you. I trust you to tell me the truth. Where were you? Why would you lie to me about it?" Jenna got up and intercepted Elena at the staircase, when it looked like Elena would ignore her. "I thought that we were closer than that."

"Now is not the time you want to talk to me about lies." Elena spat back, turning to go upstairs.

"Don't do that. Don't turn this back on me. _I_ didn't do anything."

Elena turned to her aunt with a defiant look. "Okay...Question: am I adopted?" the sudden question throwing the 29 year old for a loop, her eyes widening in shock.

"I trust you to tell me the truth too, Jenna. How could you not tell me? I thought we were closer than that." Elena fired back, throwing Jenna's own words back in her face.

"Elena, I didn't...they asked me not to."

"I don't want to hear it!" she turned running up the stairs.

Her quick escape was abruptly halted as a body slid in front of her appearing out of nowhere, effectively blocking her way up to the landing.

"Not so fast. Your aunt is not done with you yet. Jenna is in charge here, show her some respect." Hadrian intoned sharply, his emerald eyes arctic, freezing Little Princess Gilbert in place as her insides contracted in instinctive fear.

She knew who he was of course; the British _Lord_.

He had been hanging around Jenna enough that she had met him a couple of times, but that was already it. He was rich and obviously felt he was too good for everyone else since he refused to attend high school like a normal person despite being the same age as her. At least she didn't have to see him everyday in class this way, a man shouldn't look that pretty, even Stefan with his vampire grace could not compare. There was something unnerving about him, if she hadn't seen him take off his clunky, gaudy ring in broad daylight before, whilst he washed the tomatoes in the sink, she would have suspected he was a vampire. But he wasn't, he was just unnatural.

Now being stared down by those unnatural, intense acidic eyes, she stumbled an involuntary step back as they bored into her own uncompromisingly.

Hadrian was amused as the blustering princess shrank back and avoided his gave, ignoring the now cowed girl he looked over her shoulder to his stunned friend down below, raising a challenging brow.

Jenna was treated to a look between chiding and oozing smugness that couldn't have expressed _'see_ aren't you glad I'm here' any clearer had it been tattooed on that too perfect forehead. It was swiftly followed by the aggravating and the universally hated 'I told you so~'. Jenna twitched in annoyance.

Oh, how she wished to see him be wrong, Just. **Once**.

Instead she turned to her suspiciously silent niece.

"Get back down here and Sit. Down." Jenna commanded sharply showing her claws for the first time, startling Elena at the fierce picture she made standing at the bottom of the stairs. There was none of that hesitance and doubt that had been there just a few moments before. Unyielding hazel eyes stared up at her from a hard face, she had never seen aunt Jenna like this…

Feeling a chill, Elena wrapped her arms around her shivering form, hastening down the steps as told. Anything to get away from those strange emerald eyes.

Jenna felt a burst of satisfaction when Elena immediately past her and to the couch she had just occupied. She could have done without the knowing and superior look from above, however. Turning her back she strutted back into the living room, well aware of the following unwelcome audience, but chose to ignore that.

She knew there was no getting rid off him, not now that he scented blood, he was like a salesman smelling the fattest check of the year when it came to his amusement.

Hadrian stayed back and settled down on the steps, giving aunt and niece the illusion of privacy, while still there to give Jenna the needed moral support. It was also convenient niche if the little miss tried another quick escape, either upstairs or out the front door she wasn't getting past him.

A grin spread on his lips as the younger suddenly went ram-rod straight as she froze beside the sofa her gaze fixed to a little mess that served as evidence of a heedless act of temper.

"OMG! What happened to the lamp?!" the princess burst out indignantly, having the gall to send her aunt an accusing look.

Wrong move. Hadrian watched in amusement as Jenna's eyes practically sparked in fury as her simmering ire was stoked. He could almost hear as the last strand of restraint snap, even as a faint blush of embarrassment tinged her cheeks under all the blistering rage.

"Who cares about that **fucking** lamp!? **Sit DOWN**!"

Never had he seen the mopey whiner move that fast, she must have broken a personal record there.

In a formidable show of restraint, Jenna chocked her ire once Elena was suitably submissive and opened the conversation( _interrogation_ ) in a controlled tone, "Now… Tell me exactly what happened yesterday to make you completely drop off the grid for over 24 hours without having the decency to even tell me beforehand. In. _Detail."_

Hadrian had coached her in this, let Elena talk first.

And so Elena talked, spinning a tale of Bonnie needing her support because of boy troubles and them talking late into the night and oversleeping so they had to rush to school to get there in time. So that there had been no time to come home obviously.

Jenna sat in disbelief and barely restrained fury as her niece, her dear trustworthy niece waxed on about the supposed conversations where she had to act as moral support to help her friend throughout the day. Jenna felt like her view of the world cracked a little.

"The school called. You never set foot inside!" she burst out no longer able to listen, cutting Elena off mid-lie.

As expected; with the facts as they were, Jenna was not fooled for a second, and demonstrated an impressive spine of steel.

Elena backtracked quickly, the perfect actress as she shamefacedly she admitted that they overslept far longer and not wanting to disappoint her.

Hadrian could see his friends eye flash in fury those brown eyes of hers lightening to an almost amber in her rage as she processed the audacious lies her so-called trustworthy and mature niece was spouting just to get out of trouble.

Ah he could almost see the wool lift from her eyes with every further lie from the girls lips.

"Enough!" Jenna slammed her hand on the table unable to bear it any longer, the force rattling the laptop on top and startling Elena so baddly she jumped a foot in the air at the sudden loud noise and violence right in front of her. "Stop lying! I _know_ this is bullshit! Not only were you never at Bonnie's, you neglected to mention you crashed your car. I'm giving you one more chance. Where were you really?"

Elena caught herself fast. "I was at Stefan's. I- I found out about the adoption... I couldn't face coming home. I _needed_ to sort through my feeling's first." She looked up at her aunt imploringly, wishing her to understand...

Wow, it was a good move, as far as lies went. Hadrian couldn't help feel a little impressed, it was guaranteed to stir the conversation away from her and designed to make Jenna's anger crumble like a house of cards, as it jabbed at her guilt button with all the grace of a lorry.

You had to admire the girls skill, as despicable as it was using it against family. Jenna had been doing so well, yet just one moment of negligence and Jenna was already caught out by one brutally delivered sentence. Too bad for her that he was here, and that he'd handed Jenna the antidote on a silver platter. Jenna had weapons at her fingertips, little miss tragic heroine was unaware of.

Even when the woman herself seemed to have forgotten as she visibly lost the winds in her sails.

There was nothing for it...

.

Jenna faltered slightly, her eyes darting away from the teary accusing doe eyes, it was then that she caught sight of something stark white, rectangle shaped and wholly out of place. There over Elena's shoulder, far back by the stairs, in the hands of her mischievous friend, was a blackboard. Where the hell had he gotten that from?!

Much of her incredulous surprise was drained by a sense of resignation; _of course_ he had one. Ready with a blue marker and a sharp finger jabbing at it's surface insistently as soon as she looked his way. Big, bold letters took up most of the board

 **Leaving the scene of accident without alerting the authorities is a crime in Virginia.**

….Did he honestly make her a prompt board?

Jenna was so perplexed that she had unconsciously read out the words. Becoming aware of that fact only when Hadrian threw her an approving smirk, accompanied by an enthusiastic thumbs up. She also noticed that Elena had stiffened into complete stillness.

Oh.

…she could work with this.

"Did you know? Did you know it's a crime in Virginia to leave the scene of an accident without alerting the authorities?" Jenna pressed when it looked like all Elena would do was stare at her wide eyed.

"Didn't you know that or did you simply not care?"

"It…It wasn't like that! No one was supposed to know about it until I came back. Damon said he hid the car!"

Oho~ how close she was in revealing her lie there, seemed like Jenna noticed too, as her eyes flashed.

"Well he obviously didn't do it well enough!" Jenna remarked bitingly. "Because I've had the Sheriff call me, after they found it wrecked at the side of the road at Fell's Road. Sheriff Forbes and her deputies scoured the surrounding woods and checked in with all the hospitals in the area because they found blood in the car and thought you were injured!"

Elena stammered at that, not knowing what to say since Damon had healed her there was no injury. She couldn't say that without anyone getting suspicious. "It was just a tiny cut that bled more than usual since I'd just taken an aspirin. A small bandage and I was as good as new there was no need making a big fuss out of it."

"There would have been no need to had you done the right thing from the start! You don't trash your car and then go back to your boyfriend as if nothing happened!"

"It's not my fault the car crashed!" Elena jumped to her feet indignantly.

"Oh and whose exactly was it? The roads for not being wider?" Jenna snarked acerbically. "Or was it someone else driving the car? Do tell, the insurance company will want to know."

…If she uttered the word dunderhead now he would start to worry. Who knew there was a Snape lurking in his sweet Jenna, who had a fondness for hash brownies and would probably manage to melt the entire house along with the cauldron if she ever tried her hand at potions?

Due to that rather horrifying image and new resolve to keep Jenna far, _far_ away from any magical components in the future – he had planned for many things building his Manor; from floods to forest fires to muggle assault but Jenna finding his potions lab was by far the scariest and most gruesome scenario so far– he missed the next couple barbs exchanged. He was very glad for his prudence in preparing for an available recording, never accuse him of not being foresightful, the moment Jenna had gone off to feed her caffeine addiction, he had set the delightful spell…

"You were at the Salvatore Boarding House the entire time?" Miraculously that came out rather lightly, carrying non of the fire and brimstone visible in the woman's eyes.

A pity Elena didn't have the temerity to look Jenna in the eyes as she lied _again_ , otherwise she might have thought twice about it. As she didn't, she missed the last chance Jenna offered her, and lied for the third time, unknowingly spurning the last olive branch extended to her.

"Yes."

"How can you lie so _shamelessly_ right to my face?!"

"I'm not lying! Why do you never believe me?! Did _he_ tell you lies about me?" Elena shot a venomous look over her shoulder to Hadrian, who just raised an unimpressed eyebrow, all the while chuckling wickedly on the inside as the girl buried herself deeper and deeper into the shit. If she wasn't careful she would soon choke on it.

"Is this your way of punishing me? Do you blame me for the accident? That's it, isn't it? You blame me for the accident!"

There was absolute silence as even Hadrian was bowled over by this. His face darkened. That conniving little chit…

Tears were now leaking from those mud brown eyes, causing Jenna to crumble further.

He was reluctantly impressed; with indignation and deflection, the girl managed to pull her neck from the noose time and time again, so much so that despite the warning he gave Jenna last night, princess Gilbert would have managed to skip off, scott free, probably with Jenna's car keys jingling in her pocket… too bad he was here and had brought with him the ultimate secret weapon.

It was time to put it in action… as amusing as it was watching the subtly panicking princess on the downward spiral of desperation, he did have other things to do today.

Erasing his words he scrawled on a single word, before flipping the board over and waving it around to draw the attention from the fuming blonde that seemed three seconds away of just hitting her niece over the head with a chair and be done with it. Her eyes flickered and her eyes hardened as she took in the scrawled letters that simply proclaimed; **VIDEO**.

That's right, she had irrefutable proof on her side. Jenna had almost forgotten, making an effort to calm herself she took a step back and turned to her laptop deposited on the low table so innocuously.

Then I don't suppose you can tell me when this is?" Jenna asked sarcastically as she pressed enter, turning it to give Elena an unhindered view. Let's see what Elena had to say for herself after this…

 **-)Flashback(-**

 _"_ _It may be better that way. …I've got some interesting news to share about that niece of yours."_

Hadrian pulled his phone from his pocket and unlocked his screen. Hesitating a second, his unholy glee from last night dampened when faced with Jenna's honest turmoil.

"I got these last night. I thought you should see these." He intoned stoically, handing over his phone to his intrigued friend.

Jenna was silent as she received the small device, seemingly frozen for one long moment as her eyes stared at the screen in shocked incomprehension. Hadrian leaned over her shoulder, taking another look at the greatest boon in his campaign to get Jenna to open her eyes, one that had simply fallen in his lap. There, in his inbox, were a series of photo's depicting the underage Problem No.1 of his effort, smack in the middle of a bar in high spirits and consuming one alcoholic beverage after the other, despite the fact that, per law, she wasn't even legally allowed inside a bar, much less drink. They were all also helpfully dated to last night.

Jenna for her part did not want to believe it but the image - and especially the date stencilled in the bottom corner - didn't magically disappear but tauntingly danced before her eyes burning itself in her mind. It was impossible to doubt, the truth staring her right in the face with all the finesse of a sledgehammer.

A shaky finger lifted to click to the next image, and then the next, and next, her eyes going wider at each one. A bitter silence enveloped the normally so cozy family room full of good memories, one that was broken when, with the next swipe, the typical sounds of a bar started spewing from the small electronic device. There, over the clinking of glasses, the background of music and the murmur of voices, was one all too familiar voice, clearly audible even amongst the din.

Hazel eyes dimmed in disillusionment, watched as the niece she had worried after for the last 24 hours enthusiastically participated in a drinking contest, laughing and dancing about.

For a moment, she couldn't breathe, as her stomach tightened and a huge pressure bore down on her seeming intent to bury her beneath it. It must have been minutes but could have been hours when the clip finally ended.

Jenna's voice was tight, when she finally managed to get it past her constricted throat. "Where is this?"

"From my quick research this morning; 'Bree's Bar', a pub in Georgia."

"Georgia…"Jenna echoed in a strangled voice. She finally managed to pull her eyes from the screen and looked at him, betrayal and disappointment swimming in her hazel orbs. "How..?"

Hadrian shrugged and carefully extracted his phone from her slackened grip, showing her the suppressed number sign, the bold words of Unknown Sender standing out starkly. "No idea, it came in late last night." he indicated the first incoming message at 02:32 with the caption as the only clue to the intent.

"Thought you would find this interesting." Jenna read out the accompanying text.

Oh, he'd found it interesting, alright. So interesting he'd cackled for half the night and had Kreacher resort to checking in on him, because the grouchy elf believed the Black Madness had finally caught up to him.

But that was neither here, nor there at the moment.

"How did they even get your number?" Jenna wondered, well aware of the Brit's habits and deeply rooted need for privacy.

"That's the creepy part. It's not publicly listed anywhere and I'm not in the habit of handing it out like candy – like the rest of the world seems to, "he sneered derisively, "– but the sender must have spared no efforts in finding out." Hadrian frowned as he again looked at the collection of 18 pics and one video he'd received. "This someone seems to be more the type eager to stir up trouble, rather than the concerned neighbourly type… but these don't lie. I could accept that the pics are photoshopped but not the video, besides it's obvious that that is Damon Salvatore there beside her." He pointed at the photo of the duo sitting at the bar both nursing a bottle of beer.

Bam! Crash!

Hadrian blinked in surprise as the magazine Jenna had abused earlier sailed through the room and nailed the lamp dead on, the force behind the throw sending both to the floor in a clatter of shards as the lamp broke.

Woah… those martial arts classes really showed their results, at least the Jenna he knew was back and not the wreck he'd walked into.

 **-)Flashback-End(-**

Well.

She didn't look any happier now.

Just a glimpse of the incriminating evidence, brought the rage back in full force, as she was forcefully reminded that her niece was a **Big Fat LIAR**.

Oh~ how much he wished for popcorn right now; the look on the little miss I'm-better-than-you was priceless! It was almost as if she had turned into a statue with how stiff she had gotten after the first few seconds of the video. The horrified 'busted' look suited those doe eyes of her to a T – it was way better than the default one in any case. He liked it. He would endeavour to put it there more often.

He patted himself on the back for the foresight of placing the spying and recording charm on the opposite wall, the perfect vantage point for a full closeup frontal view of the muppet on the sharp, unwilling descent from her high horse.

On another note – that had absolutely _nothing_ to do with the fire-breathing demon that was suddenly in the room – ; he was somehow grateful he had a legitimate excuse for skipping out the next Martial arts classes. As amusing as it was watching a 5'6 woman tear into grown men, he did not want to be in the vicinity when she let loose that bomb of bottled up aggression.

Memo to himself; give Jenna enough time to cool down before stepping back onto the mats, teasing her about Logan could wait. …And send flowers to the studio.

"… _That's three!_ " Elena's voice came from the speaker momentarily overpowering the collective noise in the bar. The quality of the video left much to be desired, while clear in visualonly the more enthusiastic voices could be distinguished from the background. That it always happened when ordering alcohol or while actively participating in a drinking contest was just Elena's bad luck.

"… _All right. Who's next? Another round, Bree!_ "

" _Honey, you should be on the floor!"_

" _I am not even drunk. My tolerance is, like, way up here!_ " The Elena on the screen denies dramatically reaching for the sky, invalidating her claim in the process.

Demon or no, Jenna looked a millisecond away from trying out the fire-breathing anyway.

Meanwhile, the star of the show, still hadn't moved a muscle and was looked vacant. The shock of being caught out probably took out the little amount of braincells she had had left.

Elena stared blankly at the laptop screen as she watched herself sit at the bar downing a shot and jumping in joy when she won. She almost didn't recognise herself as it seemed so long ago that she had laughed so freely, her eyes glued to the bright smile that stayed on her face the entire time as she teased and joked with Damon. It was looking like into the past before her life had gone to hell… before their family became broken, loosing the other half forever.

A time she truly was fine, happy and carefree…

The incriminating video was soon followed by the series of equally damning photos, that weren't even needed at this point, but were golden in hammering the point home. Elena would **not** talk her way out of this.

"What do you have to say about that?" Hadrian admired how calm that came out; Mrs Weasley would have exploded every glassware by now, but Jenna's demand lacked non of the deadly edge, self-preservation startling the niece out of her reverie.

It was when looking into those murderous eyes that her mind caught on one detail: How could her aunt possibly even got her hands on all of this?

She would have suspected that arrogant Lord of her's that had taken to invading their home, but despite how much she suspected he enjoyed driving a wedge into her family, he did not seem the type to skulk around in Georgia. Much less in an ordinary bar like that! – she had seen the disdain on his face when mentioning the Grille. A figure like him entering Bree's would have immediately attracted attention, and from what she knew Damon had met him before, he would have noticed his presence. Besides he did not strike her as a stalker.

How would he even know about her accident? Only Damon and she had been there.

Elena's blood ran cold as she remembered the figure on the road.

The vampire! The vampire, which would have killed her if Damon hadn't come right at that time… could that vampire have stalked her all the way to Georgia?Had that vampire stalked her all the way to Georgia without Damon noticing?!

He had been in the bar with her the entire time and she hadn't known? She could have talked to him without realizing it and he could have grabbed her any time he pleased!

Elena was panicking on the inside, struggling to breathe. He had spied on her as far away as Georgia and knew who her aunt was! Knew her aunts number! He knew where she lived!

Elena started shaking as she was consumed by terror. She…She needed to call Stefan.

It was only Hadrian, who by use of sly legimancy, had an inkling of what was going on in the suddenly silent girl's mind, and the incognito wizard found her jumps of conclusion and vivid horrified scenarios far too amusing to clue Jenna in on her charges lack of attention.

It was the girl's own fault for excluding Jenna from the important details with the flimsy excuse of 'safety in ignorance'. Her previous encounters with vampires should have made it abundantly clear that non of them made any distinction between the in-the-know and the innocent when it came to their food, rather preferring the ignorant easy prey over the armed loons that got it in there heads to actually seek them out or confront them.

Had she confided in Jenna, told her of the Gilbert Family legacy, she would not be in this mess, as –just this once – it was none of her doing… but Hadrian was not gracious enough to save her the little of well-deserved discomfort. She _could_ have told Jenna the truth.

One reaped what one sowed.

Instead he scribble another two innocuous words on his trusty board with a wicked gleam in his eye. **NO CAR**

And Jenna demonstrated why she was his friend and favourite muggle in this town by finishing her angry smack-down with; "And no driving for you. I hope you will take the time to get out your bicycle because that will be the only vehicle you will be driving in the foreseeable future."

"What?! You can't do that! I _need_ a car! The bicycle is far too dangerous!"

"You're seventeen. You can manage what every kid in this town can. The only danger here is you behind a wheel."

"It's way too far to the Salvatore Boarding House! It would take me almost an hour to get there!"

"That doesn't matter to you, since you're grounded anyway. You spend far too much time there if this is the result!"

After that there was little for Hadrian to do, other than watch as his best friend bloomed in her rage and ripped the crown from princess Elena's head, and stomped it to smithereens. _**It**._ **_Was_** _._ **Glorious.**

Elena hardly got in a word edgeways as her privileges were stripped from her and she was told in no uncertain terms that she would not get a cent until the matter with the car insurance was dealt with.

From his place at the stairs, chin supported in his palm, Hadrian watched as Jenna really started to get going, mercilessly laying into the Gilbert, heaping on punishments in between delivering a impressively merciless tirade, and steamrolling over each of her protests. He was so proud.

Now… who could be the miscreant that ratted naughty Elena out?

* * *

Hope you folks are satisfied, keeping the balance between my need for bashing galore that my heart yearned for, and keeping it _realistic_ was **torture.** I kept re-writing and rearranging. I think it turned out alright, but tell me what you think!

Also a little spoiler for those reading this far; Elena's rough patch is not over, so you'll have that to look forward to.

 **IrisTurner** : You're really turning into my favourite reviewer! Every chapter a new review and always saying such nice things *blush* I'm always looking forward to it.

 **Almonda:** I love stories with Kreacher too that's why I had to include him somehow lol. And thanks for pointing that out, I didn't even notice myself! This is exactly what I'm looking for; constructive criticism that doesn't make me want to curl up in a corner and cry. I tried to pay attention this time and hope it's easier to read this time.

 **madnessEater:** I love a good bash story and fortunately for me there is absolutely no need for me invent anything or add anything on, cannon gives me more than enough ammunition to make Elena suffer through the _entire_ series. Honestly, she makes it really, really easy.

 **natasha . jones .1654:** There will be sexy scenes! definitely with one, maybe more of the originals. Perhaps some before that, don't know who yet... suggest someone? At the moment though, Hadrian has no time for those things, decorating and the impending company will occupy his attention for a while yet.


	13. 12 The Impudence of Youth

_**Disclaimer:**_ Harry Potter and Vampire Diaries are not mine, you would definitely know if they were!

 _ **Warnings;**_ Not much for Bonnie or Elena fans, but that much should have been obvious so far.

* * *

 ** _Chapter 12;_**

 **The Impudence of Youth**

 ** _Monday 7th December, 2009_**

Late afternoon found Hadrian Black leaning on his cue, smirking across the table at his increasingly frustrated opponent after sinking another seemingly impossible ball. He had been rather forcefully broken from his nesting frenzy and coerced into leaving his manor in the capable hands of Kreacher and Missy, who had taken pleasure of drafting house elves from his other properties and setting them loose on any spec of dust. Meanwhile Kreacher took over as general, he was dragged to the only watering hole that seemed to exist in this miserable nosy town; AKA the Mystic Grill. He still couldn't get over this towns unimaginative naming sense….Mystic Falls High School, Mystic Falls Hospital, Falls Park, Mystic Lane, Fells Road, Mystic Store (no witchy, voodoo shop, but your everyday store), then, not to forget the heathens that they are; the Mystic Café, catering to their caffeine addiction. Sadly the list was a lot longer. Next the Fell's would get the _brilliant_ idea to name a daughter Mystique.

And when he said _dragged_ , he actually meant it. He may have walked out of his door on his own two feet, but in no way was it in _any_ way voluntary. He was coerced in the most underhanded and cruel of ways.

He was forced into compliance by what had forced many great men to their knees before him; the threat of a mother.

Hadrian was committed to getting Tyler back for this in the future. Threatening someone with his own mother… who was he, an eleven year old Draco Malfoy?

He would have felt better about himself if he hadn't crumbled like a house of cards, but, even he, had submitted when faced with the threat of a worried Carol Lockwood storming his house. Waltzing him out the doors, all the while maintaining her impeccable southern manners as she proceeded to forcefully reacquaint him with civilisation after he had retreated to become a hermit. At least, Tyler had painted such a disturbing picture gleefully, as he attained himself a pool partner and drinking buddy for the evening. Hadrian proved to be conveniently malleable, as soon as his far too imaginative mind started conjuring the most horrifyingly explicit scenarios of just what Carol would resort to in her quest to reintegrate him into society properly – unfortunately he knew her well enough to know that she wouldn't consider her mission complete until he was a member of every single organisation or club that she too had a part in or had any say in. A very terrifying thought, as there was nothing in this town that the unofficial Queen of Mystic Falls was _not_ part of.

By the time that Hadrian had shaken off the visions of doom, he was already halfway there and his muse had fled in horror.

There was little else but to accept his fate and contemplate what was wrong with him lately, silently lamenting the far more unpalatable event looming on the horizon waiting to steal more of his precious working hours.

Somehow – don't ask him how – Jenna had wrangled a promise from him that he would attend that stupid 50's dance at the local high school.

How she had managed that was still a mystery to him, as he had resolved to avoid that establishment like the plague; he had seen enough muggle movies to know the bottomless pits of angst and depression American high schools are. Shudder.

He assumed he must have still been high on endorphins from the glorious sight of the pouting princess when she was brought low, and oh-so proud as Jen finally brought those razor sharp claws of hers to the fore. She was as ferocious as a tiger once she got going he had observed smugly, like a mother dragon watching her hatchling spew their first flame. Watching Jenna tear all of the girls lies asunder had been simply epic and the memory would be enough to keep his temper zen for the next months. The outraged, indignant look when the pampered Little Miss was told the bulk of her punishments was just too delicious, he would treasure the memory in the months to come.

Tyler still deserved his deadpan stare and the absolute crushing defeat Hadrian served him – especially when he became insufferable as soon as he heard that, yes, Hadrian was actually attending the decade dance. The nerve of teens these days…

So taking his revenge he began teasing and needling the teen, the stress of the past days lifting from his shoulders as he watched Tyler's face steadily gain colour alternating between embarrassment and temper, the one fuelling the other even further, and back again, until the a cue actually snapped in the young mans strong hands. Hadrian chuckled as a shamefaced Tyler presented it at the bar, not sorry in the least.

Tyler was learning coming back swinging – metaphorically speaking – with barbs on his tongue and a gleam in his eye.

It was an enjoyable and carefree late afternoon and, without having realised it beforehand, just what Hadrian had needed. Not that he would admit that much instead generously sneaking Tyler the alcohol he craved, sardonically remarking it was the only reason he had been invited causing a round of laughter from Ty and the others he had been trouncing, remarking that it was the least he could do to help them get over the nasty shock of losing so appallingly.

He should have known there was something waiting in the wings to ruin it.

All good things come to an end, and in this case it came in the form of a whiny, nasaly voice piercing through his happy buzz.

"This is all Damon's fault! I didn't want to go to that stupid bar."

Why?

Why is it lately that wherever he went he had to endure that whiny self-righteous bitch? He was starting to smell a breath of conspiracy in the air.

Craning his neck he spotted the chit sitting in the restaurant area with her witchy friend, having dinner – he wondered how she was even going to pay for that now that Jenna had cut her off…

"Not only did Jenna ground me, but she now thinks me incapable of driving and told me to walk or take mom's old bicycle if I want to go somewhere." She aggressively bit off one of her chips.

Ahh, yes, that Bennet girl, Harry thought with a grimace, taking in the familiar tangle of dark hair and smooth caramel toned skin with the upturned nose.

He remembered her, of course he did. It's not like he could forget. It was seldom one met such an incompetent muppet wrapped in a cloak of self-importance – the last unfortunate member of the species being Fudge.

Resemblance to fudge aside, he remembered the miscreant for another reason, it was not everyday some person he could give a rat's arse about makes it onto his torment and torture list without even a single word exchanged between them.

He was a reasonable man, but there were some things one just didn't do if one wanted to live; touch his car, threaten his family (as shrunken as it was), or ruining his fun – which included, but was not limited to; interfering with schemes, cockblocking and blabbing secrets before the time was right.

Breaking that very short list of guidelines of common courtesy were a sure fire way to ensure he got nasty in the blink of an eye.

Lo and behold she'd managed to do so. So no, there was no way he could ever forget _her_ ; that was the imbecile who nearly set his baby on fire during that Sexy Sud Carwash.

An original 1962 cream Jaguar E-Type with red interior, bright aluminium centre and dash consul… damaging this beauty was _asking_ to get lynched. It had taken all of his self control not to let loose the instinctive, reactionary torrent of violent magic sparking at it's fingertips vengefully. That mentally deficient twat had no business being in the vicinity of valuables while she had zero emotional control and was viable to throw a tantrum over the smallest upset. Disgraceful.

Daring to throw a fit so close to his precious, who did that little bag o' shite think she was? Hadrian had been an inch away from roasting her… they'd have seen how much she liked playing with fire then.

She had been very lucky that Matt had almost bodily thrown himself between his baby and her witchcraft, preventing even the tiniest bit of damage - it was irrelevant that a bomb could have hit it without inflicting the smallest of scratches; _they_ hadn't known that.

That he had just returned from his passive aggressive torturing of the Ministry and three subsequent nights of indulgence had also contributed greatly to her continued wellbeing. The bumbling blighter could thank her oh-so-revered ancestors that he had left the quick temper of his youth behind and had acquired a placid disposition after mastering the mind arts – a necessity really, having to sit in a room for hours on end, listening to old codgers and arrogant peers start a game of 'mine is bigger' while they _should_ just vote on a stupid law and be done with it. As annoying as all his Lord and etiquette lessons had been, they proved good for something and ensured the meticulously planed murders, firmly stayed within the confines of his mind – though it would have made so much easier. Still, extended lease on life or not; that didn't mean it had stopped him from making a small neat mark beside her name in his mind; he would get her back in time. He could be patient.

He may forgive (…sometimes), but he _never_ forgot.

It was only natural that his eyes spewed poison the second they landed on the teen. Bored with waiting, he settled in to watch the free show.

"What! You walked here? It's already dark outside what if-!" the Bennet exclaimed her palm smacking on the table.

"Of course not!" Elena waved her off, "Stefan agreed it was far too dangerous with that stalking vampire about."

Ah bit louder please, and the council can come round for a visit with sharpened stakes.

Bonnie looked uneasy, her gaze flitting about. "Should you even be out this late?"

"I'm fine. Stefan said I'm safe as long as I'm around people. Besides I still need accessories for the dance, that I'm lucky enough to still be allowed to go to. Jenna made it clear that she was locking me up again after tomorrow, the only reason allowed it is because she is chaperoning." Elena remarked bitterly.

Bonnie reached across the table and gave her friends hand a supporting squeeze.

"Jenna is just worried. Imagine how she felt when she got a call about your crushed car being found, it must have brought back all the bad feelings from the accident. She thought you were really hurt." Huh so she had a use after all… And a brain, he had been in doubt after The Incident.

"It doesn't change that I feel like a prisoner in my own home. No money, no car, no Stefan, and all those squinting looks…" here comes the whining again…

"It's not like I can tell her the truth. I want Jenna to have nothing to do with all this crap. It's not safe."

Ugh, the little Gilbert would get along famously with Dumbledore, both would get someone killed with their misplaced need to keep the cards close to the chest, believing in the safety of ignorance. Fools!

He couldn't listen to this he'd be far too tempted to say something and Jenna would have his head if he stirred up trouble a day before her date with the new history teacher. Luckily he didn't have to, as at that moment Tyler decided he was done chatting up that old upperclassmen of his working the bar, and dragged him back to the pool table. He could fit in another lesson in humility before returning to his work. He already had the perfect design in mind for his home bar – not to be confused with his bodega in the wine cellars – he also had the perfect centrepiece ready. A beautiful handcrafted bar of rosewood, polished to high-lustre, soaked with the aroma of cider and the slight tang home to British pubs still clinging to it… if he now found a nice pool table to match he'd never have to step foot in this dive with it's irritating patrons again.

Goodbye Whiny and Witchy.

Goodbye vampire shaped barnacle by the name of Salvatore the Elder, who seemed to be almost permanently attached to that stool.

"It's already been three days and she giving me _those_ looks."

Ugh.

Hadrian sped up his stride, he couldn't listen to this if she whined about Jenna's 'unfair treatment' one more time, he'd have to pull a Bennett and start a fire - he wasn't that crass.

 **-)§(-**

Of course she found a way to throw his thoughtfulness back in his face.

There he was, walking along, thinking of nothing evil and generally being as innocent as a lamb, when an alarmed spike in his magic had him fling himself to the side. Just in time too, as the the next second a car with with screeching tires raced through the spot he had just vacated. He had almost been turned into roadkill... he could do nothing more than stare at the disturbingly familiar car that had almost become a 2 ton battering ram.

"Ryan!" Hadrian turned his head to see a wide-eyed Tyler hurrying over to him. "Man, are you okay?"

He looked up at the tall teen in a slight daze still stunned at the near miss.

Luckily his magic had cushioned his fall automatically. Lucky for princess Gilbert that is. There were no words for the unspeakable things he would have done to the little chit if he would have been unable to continue working on his house. Tyler was already on the phone with his mom, gesturing wildly as he relayed the events agitatedly and Hadrian knew if he had so much as a scrape the woman would insist he stay over, no matter what he may say to the contrary.

...He gave it five minutes before Carol was here, Sheriff in tow.

One thing was for sure, if the pampered Gilbert Princess had had any aspirations towards the Miss Mystic Falls crown, she could kiss them goodbye.

Fishing out his own phone, he pressed speed-dail, eyebrow lifting when he heard it go straight to voicemail – ah how could he have forgotten that this was Jenna's sacred bath time which she adhered to religiously every Monday night, as a silent congratulations for surviving the worst day of the week.

No matter, this way she had a few more minutes of bliss before being confronted with the follies and misbehaviour of her niece. Again.

"Hey Jen. Are you still feeling guilty about stonewalling that niece of yours about the adoption? Well don't be. That little brat nearly turned me into roadkill, as she sped away from the Grill in _your_ car." He idly wondered to her reaction to that when she listened to this, the thought warmed his soul in sadistic pleasure. Dragon Jenna was making a comeback.

"Now… since the sheriff is already here, can file a lawsuit for negligent driving or would that break the terms of our code of friendship?"

Elena Gilbert…she was really making it too easy for him.

 **-)§(-**

 **Tuesday 8th December, 2009**

Elena Gilbert cut a miserable form as she sat curled up on her bed. Despite Stefan's surprise visit via window, her mood remained morose. It just served as another reminder of how wrong her life had suddenly gone, she had planned to visit him at the boarding house, but now that was impossible and his only option of seeing her outside school was the window as Jenna lived to make her life hard. She just didn't understand everything she did to protect her family, but instead of receiving even the tiniest bit of appreciation she was continuously punished for it.

"Can't you do something?" she asked plaintively.

Stefan sighed and pulled his girlfriend close, hating to dash her hopes. "I can't. Even if I was strong enough; Jenna, Sheriff Forbes and the deputies are all on vervain."

The disastrous evening had not ended after she had managed to flee from the stalking vampire that was bent on making her life hell, she had barely stepped into the safety of Stefan's arms when her phone rang and Jenna demanded she come home immediately. What had awaited her there was even beyond her expectations, she knew Jenna would be mad - she had taken the car without permission, hoping her aunt would stay non-the-wiser. Stefan had agreed that traveling any other way was far too dangerous for her, and was proven right! What she did not expect was the Caroline's mom in full sheriff uniform and flanked by two deputies, laying in wait in the foyer. Before she could blink, her driving licence was taken and she had been informed that she was being sued for nearly hitting someone during her escape. They hadn't listened to a word she said and the disappointed look in the hard professional face of Sheriff Forbes as she informed her of all the details as if she were some stranger had been a bitter pill to swallow. Everything was going wrong and not even Stefan had been able to smooth things over in her favour as he'd been send away by a frothing Jenna as soon as he tried to follow her inside.

What annoyed her the most was that it was Jenna's _friend,_ that arrogant snob with his pretentious accent, that was suing her and Jenna wasn't even trying to discourage him.

She hadn't thought it could get worse after the eruption of Mt Jenna as soon as the door closed behind the guests, but she had been wrong. She had barely set foot on school grounds, unceremoniously dumped there by Jenna, when she was set upon by 5'9 of muscled aggressive male sneering down at her. Being shouted at first thing in the morning, in front of the whole school, by the most influential male in school, was not the way to start the day. Being called a reckless health-hazard and near-murderer even less. It wasn't even true, that British idiot hadn't even gotten a scratch! Since Tyler proclaimed to have been there and seen it all, he should know that and not threaten her that she would lose far more than just her licence for her actions. She was never as glad to see Stefan's broad back as he slid between her and the furious Lockwood, putting an end to her public humiliation, and pulling her away from the gawking crowd. Unfortunately he couldn't protect her from everything.

Rumours spread like wildfire throughout the school, by lunch everyone knew about her humiliation and her name was hissed in whispered conversations wherever she went, they even knew about her trip with Damon after her accident. They made her sound like some reckless, attention-seeking whore of the likes of Vicki Donovan. She wouldn't have lasted the day without Stefan he was her solid rock as he diverted attention away from her and his fist clenched in anger as he glared those down that uttered those vile lies about her.

This was one big disaster! How could one simple trip to get accessories for a party go so wrong? Today should have been fun with the decade dance tonight but now she didn't even feel like going anymore.

"Can't you get that stupid _Lord_ to drop his charges at least? He didn't even get hurt!"

Stefan looked pained at the mention of the British male. "He's on vervain too."

"What!" Elena bolted upright, turning aghast eyes onto Stefan. "He knows about vampires too?! Why didn't you tell me? What if he tells Jenna?!"

"He doesn't." Stefan soothed her rubbing her arms. "He was a friend of Zach's, that stock bought a blend of tea from him that contained vervain. I visited his antique shop some weeks ago to see if I could cancel a deal he had with Zach. And even though that didn't work, I found out that while his veins might be full of vervain; he has absolutely no idea about the supernatural or what I am."

Elena had calmed down, but her face fell at the realisation that there was nothing that Stefan could do to help her. That arrogant asshole... he just kept making her life harder, she wished he'd go back to his stupid little island.

"Mystic Falls is a tight-nit community and they all knew your parents, the worst you have to worry about is a few hours of community service when they start up the founder parties in the new year." Stefan consoled her knowing exactly how the old founding families exerted their pull, they wouldn't be harsh on one of their own, not for such a tiny offence that nothing happened in. Founding families stuck together. And he told Elena as much.

"All that matters is that you are okay and unharmed." Pulling her to his chest.

"Not yet!" Elena exclaimed slightly hysterical, pushing away. "Somehow, everywhere I go, _he's_ already there, waiting for me to be alone! To make a mistake! He followed us all the way to Atlanta! He knows our phone numbers! How long before he makes it past your guard? He's everywhere! Always watching! How do I know I can even sleep at night without him jumping out of my closet?!"

"Elena!" he grabbed her arms that were gesturing around wildly. "Breathe. _Breathe_ ...Yes, that's right. You're safe here. He's not invited in, he can not get to you here. All will be fine."

Elena had calmed down now, breathing in and out deeply, like Stefan had commanded. She could feel her fear fade with his every word. "He's getting sloppy and is far too eager, with Damon and I both on the lookout, we'll soon flush him out. Mystic Falls isn't exactly that big of an area to hide in especially with the council always on the lookout." Stefan reassured her, wrapping her back in his arms.

"Why me?" Elena asked plaintively after a stretch of silence and whirling thoughts. "What does he want with me? A-and if he's trying to kill me, then why call first?"

"That's because we're predators, Elena. We hunt. We stalk. It's often as exciting as the kill." He intoned solemnly before reaching into his back-pocket. "I want you to take this."

Elena curiously peers at the familiar round object Stefan placed in her palm. "This is Jeremy's pocket watch. How did you get it?"

"I took it from Damon, who took it from Logan, who must have taken it from you."

Elena checks it critically before opening it her narrowed eyes widening in confusion as she sees the drastic change of the interior. "What happened to it?

"Well, it's not just a watch. It's a...it's a sort of compass, but it points to vampires."

Stefan moved away from Elena only to gently take her hands in his own, demonstrating the compasses effectivity as the needle spun around rapidly before suddenly clicking into place, pointing straight at his still form. Elena looked up at him in shock.

 **"** Why did my father have it?"

"Gilbert's were one of the founding families, and back in 1864, they were among those who sought to eradicate the vampires. The compass was used to find us."

"Did you know them?"

"Yes. I want you to keep this. That way, you'll know if you're ever in danger."

Elena nodded, a smile lighting her face as Stefan caressed her cheek and pulled him into a kiss as a huge weight lifted from her. Stefan always made everything better.

* * *

So a bit of Stefan and Elena alone time at the end there, most will recognise it as the scene in S1E12, just instead of taking place at the boarding house it's in Elena's bedroom since Jenna placed her on house arrest lol

Any suggestions for titles to call Elena are welcome - just nothing too harsh or too expressive in expletives, Hadrian has class he has no need to sink that low to completely shred a persons ego. The joy of being a Lord of the Realm lol I liked Multplelife's Little Miss Privileged Princess Elena but I'll need more as Hadrian prefers mocking her than giving her the courtesy of a name since he sees her as nothing more than a pest.

Thank's to everyone who Favourite and Followed this! It always makes me so happy seeing the numbers steadily climbing up!

 **IrisTurner:** Yeah cannonJenna always had so much fire when she went against Logan I was disappointed that she completely lost it as the show went on, so I'm coaxing it out of her. The dragon analogy just seemed fitting, I secretly always imagine Jenna as a closet Redhead lol. As for Hadrian and his little prompt board that whole scene was just written for that, it suddenly popped into my mind and I laughed so much that just I had to write it! I'm glad you liked it. The Originals are definitely going to be in for a ride, no one expects the amount of chaos the small Lord can stir up...

 **Almonda** : Lucky you my family often thought the wicked witch of the west came round for a visit... they got used to it. Sometimes it's so hard watching the earlier episodes and watch them play Jenna for a fool right up until her death, well not with me! No more doormat Jenna, Elena better watch out...

 **Multiplelifes:** So flattering! It's usually me that's dying for the updates lol


	14. 13 Jitterbug and Scripted Plays

**Disclaimer;** Harry Potter nor Vampire diaries is mine.

 **Warnings;** Mentions and use of Unforgivables, a bit of blood.

* * *

 ** _Chapter 13_ ;**

 **Jitterbug and Scripted Plays**

 **Tuesday 8th December, 2009**

"I spoke to the insurance company." Jenna informed Elena as she walked in, pausing in her cleaning up of the living room. "Car's totalled. Not that it matters much to you now."

Elena swallowed as she heard the fissure of ire in her aunt's voice and instead took note of the cute 50's outfit. "So you're coming to the dance?"

Jenna smiled. "Alaric asked me to help chaperone."

She walked around the couch and leant against it, her thoughts wandering to a certain pair of crinkled eyes and wry smile. Elena did not share her aunt's nonchalance. Her muscles were tense and she kept her back turned to the older woman as she deliberated about how to start the sensitive conversation. Elena nervously picked up an apple and was about to take a bite, but a sharp burst of irritation had her turn around and glare at Jenna, accusation in her eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me, Jenna?

Jenna, ripped from her absentminded daydreams of soulful blue eyes, and was slightly startled by this sudden change of topic. That was before she saw the hostility levelled at her, and her jaw firmed, "Do not take that tone with me, Elena."

Elena didn't take the reprimand to heart, instead the frustration from the last days burst from her with righteousness. "I have a right to know about this!"

As Jenna stared at Elena as if she'd never seen her before, Hadrian's last words he'd imparted on that vexing Thursday rang in her ears:

'Careful Jenna,' he'd cautioned, 'if you want any kind of respect in this house; you need to remain firm and stay adamant in your decisions. When you punish them you can't change your mind halfway through. If you have doubts talk to me, or the Sheriff, or _anyone_ else… but **don't** show any of it in front of your two charges. Or they will capitalize on it. Teenagers are a vicious breed when it comes to getting what they want, so be prepared for the eventual guilt trips and sob stories flung your way. Honestly, I shouldn't need to tell you this; from what you told me, you weren't exactly an angel either.'

Hadrian was right.

Last night, faced with Liz in her full capacity as Sheriff and Officer of the Law, Jenna had been infinitely grateful for the wakeup call her saucy British friend had given her. She didn't want to think about how flat footed it would have caught her if he hadn't taken the time to forewarn her and rattle her preconceived notions of Elena and instead animate her to take a very close look at their interactions.

Now she had an ominous flash of a life without 'Ryan's influence, she had the sinking feeling that every confrontation would have ended with her feeling in the wrong, feeling guilty for not managing better, for not being her sister... As Hadrian would say; it was a shitty feeling.

She was still reeling from what happened after a mere three hours of not playing the watchdog, of taking time for herself for once. For a second there, after listening to her voicemail, she had considered climbing back into her tub and just drowning herself rather than face the mess. But she owed her sister better than that. And Miranda would probably have strangled her in heaven for doing so. Still her own niece had disobeyed her, stolen her car, and nearly turned her best friend into a pancake in the full view of the Mayor's son - the son of the woman who had taken Hadrian under her wing the moment he had set foot into town.

Elena had no idea just how lucky she actually was that the Liz had been there to mediate on her behalf.

So it was a bit of a struggle to keep her face smooth and her voice even as she answered. "Your mom was gonna do it eventually. I never thought I'd have to."

"If my mom were here right now and I asked, she'd tell me the truth."

"She would not." Jenna bit out. "If your mom were here she would send you to your room for taking that tone. Your parents agreed that they would tell you on your eighteenth birthday, I intended to follow their wishes."

"You can't just keep my birthright from me!

"I can and I will. As you have demonstrated so extensively these past days; you are far too immature to handle any hard truths and stress. We had the Sheriff over just last night because you not only stole my car, but nearly ran someone over with your reckless driving, **four** **days** after you totalled your own car and went on a irresponsible joy ride to a different State." Jenna rebuked with a livid stare, far from over the recent events. "You can thank your lucky stars we live in Mystic Falls, or having your driving licence revoked for a few months would have been the least of your problems."

Unforgiving hazel bored into shocked brown and Elena was unable to find a retort as she was struck speechless. She hadn't thought Jenna would react like that.

Jenna softened slightly. "All Miranda ever wanted was to be a mom and was so happy to have you as her daughter. That is all you need to know for now."

Giving a jerky nod, Elena turned and quickly made to get back to her room, her throat feeling tight.

That confrontation survived, Jenna immediately pulled out her phone to call up Hadrian, his grumpy answer bringing an instant smile to her face.

" _What?_ "

"I just wanted to remind you that you have to be in the school parking lot at eight, so you don't _forget_."

Jenna felt her mood lift further at hearing the long suffering groan on the other end, she knew it! That little weasel had wanted to turn up a few minutes before the end and then feign innocence! She had seen him pull that trick several times when he wanted to snub someone or just had absolutely no interest in a mandatory event. And somehow he always got away with it! Well not with her. This was for his own good after all.

" _Why are you so bloody persistent in dragging me into that hell hole_?"

"Why are you trying so hard to avoid it?"

Hadrian's opinion of her intelligence was clear in his voice as he deadpanned flatly, " _It's filled to the brim with teen drama._ "

Jenna laughed. "You deserve it for ruining my Monday spa evening, hours of relaxation and pampering all ruined with one voicemail from you, I had half a mind drowning myself in the bathtub."

" _Oi, I resent that! That was_ all _that niece of yours. I was almost turned into a pancake, **I'm** the victim here_."

"And I have to live with her."

A wince. " _I told you, you should have just stayed in Prague_."

She couldn't deny that the thought of the far away Czech Republic was looking rather appealing lately, especially the part where there was an entire ocean between there and Mystic Falls.

She knew she couldn't, though; she had a duty to her sister and what remained of her family. Miranda would never forgive her if she took the easy way out. They _needed_ her, that much was as clear as never before.

Jenna scoffed. "And leave you and Carol Lockwood free reign in this small defenseless town. She is scary enough _without_ an unchecked enabler, you are not getting rid of me." The very real probability that she wouldn't recognise her own hometown upon her return, was incentive enough to ensure that never happened.

"Be there at eight." She stressed before hanging up.

* * *

...

Hadrian stared at his phone, stupefied.

She'd just hung up on him!

He truly was a bad influence on her! First emotional blackmail, then actual blackmail, and then that commanding assertiveness with the very rude implications thrown in on the sly... he would have felt proud had she not used it against him so callously. It wasn't until he'd slept a night on it and Tyler used a similar heartless threat that it finally clicked and he remembered just how Jenna had pressed him into this latest idiocy. Really, threatening to set a determined Mayor's Wife on him was unnecessary cruel, compelling and effective argument or not, he hoped it wasn't going to become a trend. Carol had already called him twice full of concern as she had felt his absence so keenly the past days. It turned out being the de facto leader's darling had it's shadow sides.

And that was _before_ the fiasco last night. If the two calls this morning were any indication, Carol's subtle mother-henning had only gotten worse after that close call.

He was so going to find a way to get back at that wannabe Pancake Maker! Just because she was such an abysmal cook that she had to resort to such murderous means to succeed at _anything -_ she still failed though _\- ,_ didn't mean he would let such an insult stand. Far more formidable people – men and women with _actual_ power – had tried to murder him but non had had the audacity of trying to turn him into something as plebeian as **_roadkill_**. Even Quirell had had more class!

Hadrian released an explosive sigh and went back to his matching of curtains, suddenly finding his evening two hours shorter than five minutes ago.

Attending stupid teenage low-budget event… Oh, how the mighty had fallen.

As long as Draco didn't find out, he could manage one evening of concentrated Adolescent Stupid. Besides how bad could it possibly be?

 **-)§(-**

 ** _Tuesday 8th December, 2009_**

 ** _20:50..._**

Hadrian regretted.

He regretted deeply. He regretted jinxing himself. He regretted severely underestimating the amount of senseless drama Mystic fall's teens seemed to contain in their pinky alone. But most of all, he regretted not pressing down on that accelerator and just speeding past this incarnation of hell. Maybe those Catholics had it right after all, hell definitely existed and it was right here in Mystic Falls.

Did that make the 'Prom King' Satan?

Dear Merlin, just standing there, he could _feel_ his brain cells dying.

The first half hour had been bearable; he had made snide comments about all but Jenna, had Jenna supply him with a stream of amusing anecdotes from her past decade dances and then he'd been introduced to the new flavour of the month; Alaric Saltzman. A quick scrutinizing glare, a noting upon the lack of sexual tension, and the man had been all smiles and (unfortunately) Hadrian had yet to find anything to criticise. Other than his incessant need to talk about his dead wife, of course, but seeing as the history teacher was cognisant of the flaw there was no fun in poking at it.

Rather, since Jenna seemed to actually be enjoy herself, and watching the two get along awkwardly started to make him sick, he excused himself in hopes of finding something strong to drink – he knew any hope for firewhiskey was blasphemy in this muggle town, but with how big a thing underage drinking was in this town; he was keeping his fingers crossed for a stiff drink hidden amongst all the fruity punch. A desperate man can dream can't he? Maybe the whole thing would be bearable with a little bit of alcohol in his system. Morgana, he hoped so.

That had been the second mistake of the evening – the first being actually coming – having any kind of faith in alcohol served at a high school.

Memo for all future events; stay away from the bloody punch. Not only did it taste like a potion reject but the tiny sip that had made it down his throat before he spat the rest out, had roiled around his stomach unpleasantly for a nauseating twenty minutes, before he discreetly vanished it from his stomach. It was only with a look of total incomprehension that he observed everyone else voluntarily drink that disgusting swill, some brain-damaged twats even coming for seconds and thirds. Conjuring a pipette, he took a sample for closer examination later. Strange powers seemed to be at work here.

Now back to the start; 55 minutes in and he had found a nice corner, where he was left alone and could while away his sentence. With an apathetic gaze he stared at the trio of girls because those were the some of the few he recognised and he had nothing better to do.

The fact was so painful it was almost physical, as just watching the drama of Princess Elena and her entourage - Perky Barbie Caroline and her BFF aka pet witch - made him want to bang his head against the next available hard surface. It did not get better when the Salvatores came back to buzz around the little fallen Queen Bee. Hadrian turned away, was a little bit of fine alcohol really too much to ask?

Who set these dances on a Tuesday anyway? What happened to good ol' Friday, or was it suddenly not good enough for the illustrious Mystic Falls High School? Then again, who wanted to spend their Friday like this?

 _Now_ it made sense.

 **-)§(-**

The figure pouted in irritation, tucking a flyaway blond strand behind their ear, pale eyes watching intently as the vampire and human trio scrambled about. It wasn't fair. After the very productive October and even more bountiful November, they suddenly go all paranoid and cut off any openings to get at that high grade black market item that is a human doppelgangers blood.

That insipid Noah… he deserved quality time acquainting himself with the crucio for putting the two guarddogs on high alert, therefore bringing their sly nightly visits to an abrupt end.

It was pathetic! They had such a valuable resource, directly under their nose, and didn't even see it because they were captured by doe eyes with the depths of a kiddy pool. Truly tragic. It was like some know-it-all mudblood who ignored all warnings, because they 'knew better', and proceeded to poke a sleeping dragon, never comprehending that he/she would be a piece of ash fluttering in the wind in 2.5 seconds, but you knew and had to watch all the same. It made their fingers itch to cast a nice bone-breaking or blood-boiling curse at such blind stupidity, before leaving them to their fate.

But, as the saying went; their loss, my gain.

Now what to do about this bumbling Noah…

…Ah but they didn't need to bother; he wouldn't survive to hear the stroke of midnight.

Reclining, they leaned back, relaxing against the wall, a small frown marring their perfectly smooth face. Icy eyes slipping closed as they let the images flit by. _Elena's stricken face. Stefan on a wild goose chase through the High school corridors._ Good. _A panicked Elena running through empty halls being chased._ Very good and funny to boot. _Elena getting stab happy with wooden writing utensils_. Not so good. _Stefan with the Hero Hair triumphing over evil and staking Noah after finding out about the Gilbert Journal. Anna lurking in the shadows, watching, before bolting. The history teacher Alaric Saltzman skulking around knowing far more than what was healthy._

It was the scene after that they focused on. It was in the Gilbert House, just Elena and Stefan:

 _Elena on the couch distracting herself with pulling the silky material of her scarf through her hands when the silence is broken_

 _"_ _Doing ok?"_

 _Elena turned around and rested her arms on the of the couch to look at Stefan in the kitchen preparing her tea, a thoughtful look on her face as she observes him._

 _"_ _Is it weird if I say yes?"_

 _"Is it true?_

 _Keeping her hands busy and playing with her scarf, there was now a faint note of consternation in her tone when she answered. "I should feel more upset or scared or something, but I...feel kind of exhilarated._

 _"It's the adrenaline. You'll crash soon enough." Stefan cautioned, picking up the steaming cup and returning to the living room._

 _"_ _Yeah, I guess…" Elena then smiled proudly, her lips taking on a pleased tilt as she stared up at her vampire boyfriend, "I fought back tonight. It felt good."_

Elena feeling proud… stronger… she was actually growing a spine.

Now we can't have that. We wouldn't want Miss Gilbert getting ahead of herself, that just wouldn't do. It wouldn't do to have muggles think they could rise above their station, not to mention it would be highly inconvenient and counterproductive; if in the future they got bored of dancing around in the shadows unseen and just grabbed the walking-bottomless-pouch-of-gold full of the priceless blood that only made it's appearance every 500 years, they didn't want to deal with tedious escape attempts and a bad attitude. Contrary to those fools that liked to bait, torment, and break their captives, they preferred them to be silent and meek and they weren't sure how valuable the blood would still be if tainted by the Draught of Living Death.

No best to nip this in the bud.

Decision made, a dissolution spell smoothly obscured their form from view as a plan formed in the devious mind. How fortunate that they knew exactly where they had to be.

With a catlike grace the nigh impossible to discern form glided through the school halls like a ghost, not a single sound heard from them as not even vampire ears would be able to hear the faintest flutter of the strong steady heartbeat reverberating under the clothed chest.

 **-)§(-**

Rapid footsteps could be heard just outside the door before it swung open and a small dishevelled form slid herself inside, drawing in loud panicked pants of breath as she raced for an escape.

Elena ran across the room and tries to open another set of doors, only to realise, with a sinking feeling of dread, that they were also locked. The harsh sound of doors hitting the walls makes the terrified Gilbert whirl around. Across the room, Noah strode through the flung wide doors in his confident prowl, the sight sending a bolt of primal fear through the teenage girl, one that, unknown to her, was picked up by the enchanted room and amplified, freezing her in place as her mind shut down with the pure, unadulterated panic that lanced through her. She couldn't breathe.

Barely a second had passed, and she was already drowning.

The doors clanged shut, the sound echoing through the large room, and before the last note had ended; Noah was there, right in front of her. The shock jolted her instincts and Elena made a desperate attempt to bolt… she only managed a step, before an unyielding hand grabbed her by the hair and reeled her back in, the vice grip yanking her head back painfully and pulling a shriek from her throat.

Elena struggled with all her might, but there was no escape and the next moment she lost the floor from under her feet and she was airborne as she was flung through the air like a rag doll, sliding across a table. The reunion with the floor was hard as her hip and shoulder impacted painfully.

There wasn't much time for the teen to collect herself as Noah once again advanced on her tossing the table aside and stalking towards his prey whose heartbeat was erratic and frantic as it beat in her chest exciting the vampire and elevating his feral instincts. His movements were languid as he drank in his preys fear and futile struggles, prolonging the joy of the hunt.

It was this escalating terror that drive her forward, as she frantically grabbed at the strewn papers, trying to find a single pencil amongst the mess.

Calculating eyes watched the events unfold on the stage they had set, unblinkingly. The figure remained still and unseen, but the little evil smirk curling the corner of their mouth was telling, their thoughts sadistically gleeful as the watched the frantic search for the runespoor in the pit of snakes.

Weren't they generous? They had left the muggle one of her weapons, they'd vanished the rest though, as soon as they touched the ground. No need to overdo it with the goodwill.

In silent enjoyment they observed as Elena continued scrambling and crawling across the floor, hands reaching but failing to grab hold of the small mini stake, as each time her grasping fingers came too close a little magic tug saw the slim piece off wood rolling just out of reach.

Then it was too late; too strong hands clenched on her shoulders and a brief feeling of vertigo overtook her, before her back was roughly slammed against the wall. A scream was wrenched form her throat at the pain and terror as she saw the figure now looming above her, vampire features on full display. Elena struggled with all her might despite the rising hysteria but only received a backhand for her efforts, the unnatural strength behind it having her sliding across the cafeteria and her ears ring as she crashed into a bucket by the vending machine.

Terror seized her heart as the dark chuckle that had followed her all the way. With the last rallying of all her strength and bravery Elena grabbed the fallen mop, desperately trying to break off the wooden broom handle, but despite her increasingly vehement attempts she wasn't strong enough as the shaft of wood didn't even bend as it bruised her knee over and over again. This time there was no time for her to react; the mop was snatched from her violently and with a crack her wrist snapped in admonishment, the clattering of the mop hitting the floor mingling with her scream of agony as she clutched her broken wrist to her chest as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Uncaring Noah clenched an unyielding fist in her hair and wrenched Elena's head back, exposing the pale column of her throat.

This time there was no rescue at the last second: One little muffling spell and the two Salvatore's were delayed, still stumbling about dark corridors, having no useful beacon of shrieks and clatters to draw them to their damsel in distress.

A piercing scream echoed within the confines of the school cafeteria as fangs pierced the delicate skin, ramming deeply into the vulnerable flesh.

Perfect!

With a quick flex on the imperious, Noah released her and sped off, making a generous amount of noise as he went, firm instructions in his mind to delay the two Salvatore brothers as long as he could before giving up Elena's location. A stunner swiftly shot across the room, striking the whimpering mess that had been left behind.

A amused laugh with chilling undertones rang out through the room, the disillusionment charm dropped and revealed the cloaked figure sitting atop the vending machines, slowly clapping at the wonderfully played out script. Far better than the original. With only a few touches of magic the little teen drama had morphed into something far more entertaining and authentic considering it starred a vampire – never mind that it was a wiccan one – against a female muggle. The original 'script' they had observed in the vision had been severely lacking in blood and the casual, almost playful, violence of a superior predator.

Even as they laughed they could feel the change in the air; the threads of fate coming loose as the present snipped the garn off the set future and re-wrote the now never-would-be future irrevocably.

The lounging figure watched in anticipation as the future realigned itself, spinning onto a different path, one so similar but still fundamentally different at it's core. It was a thing of beauty.

Noah still got staked while Anna watched, Stefan and Damon still scented the importance of the Gilbert Journal like a bloodhound on an injured deer, and Alaric still had his little revelation of the power of vervain as he stared his wife's would-be murderer in the eyes. Yet there would be no smiles in the Gilbert Residence tonight; Elena Gilbert was a quivering mess as she awoke groggily in her bed after Stefan had healed her massive blood loss, broken wrist and mangled neck with his own blood. Stefan would also stay the night, standing sentry in the closet as Elena begged him not to go as she relived her first close encounter with a vampires fangs. It was only a fretful sleep that would greet her tonight.

Hmm. so much better. Muggles should know their place.

If the muggle female insisted in meddling in the supernatural and entangling her life with that of vampires this was a price to be paid, doppelganger or no. Life was no sunshine and daisies especially for the powerless.

Cool eyes assessed the smeared neck.

There had been very little drinking involved, as the neck was mangled with the intent to cause pain and traumatize rather than to sate the thirst. Lips pulled into a moue of irritation at leaking crimson that was starting to stain the cold floor. "Tsk. Such a waste of valuable resources."

Reaching into the moleskin pouch from amidst their dark robes they withdrew more of their staple rune inscribed containers. Waste not, want not, and this time there wasn't even a need to limit themselves as long as they left Elena with just enough blood in her system to survive until the cavalry stormed in. They didn't even need to waste one of their specially attuned blood-replenishers. Tonight they truly hit gold.

With a sharp eye they watched as the containers filled with the only thing of value the doppelganger possessed, the stasis and unbreakable runes on the surface lighting up as they were activated.

Satisfied as the spell did it's work to perfection and transferred the crimson liquid, arctic eyes lost their edge as the focus switched to something only they could see.

It was just over ten minutes later that it was time to retreat, erasing the evidence of their presence and the profitable bloodletting with a wave of their wand, they meticulously stored away the bulging blood bags

Pressing the wand tip to the human doppelganger's temple, they engraved a last message into her memories before twirling on their heal and disappearing with a crack, taking all their enchantments with them. Five seconds later the double doors banged open two frantic forms blurred inside and to Elena's prone form, a pained grimace on Stefan's face as he couldn't step closer with the potent scent of blood sawing at his ever tenacious control, black veins ghosting under his eyes as he watched Damon feed Elena his blood upon his behest.

Elena remained unaware, her unconsciousness plagued by Noah's menacing drawl that echoed through her mind. "Delicious. Thank you for the meal Mini-Katherine, I'll come visit again soon. Bye bye… **_for now_**.

 **-)§(-**

Jenna was barely in the kitchen when the bell rang, startling her. Had Alaric forgotten anything? But it was not the history teacher on the other side, but her leering Brittish friend who strutted inside as soon as the door was open.

"Okay spill Jen," he grinned at her obnoxiously, "Give me aaaaaalll the details of you and the history teacher. Did he give you a proper good night kiss? With how lovely you looked tonight he better have."

Jenna spluttered at the onslaught of words and indecent expression on the young males face as he threw himself on the couch and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

At her failure to answer, his countenance changed as his brow lifted and his face darkened. "He didn't do anything to give me a reason to castrate him, did he?"

"No he didn't." she denied with an eye roll. Then bit her lip as she looked into the expectant emerald eyes. "He did say something that bothered me, about hs wife-"

She started, but Hadrian cut her off emphatically.

"No, no, NO! We are not talking about that ex-wife of his, he has sufficiently filled that quota for tonight all by himself. You can tell me that tomorrow, I want the dirt now."

"'Rian!"

Hadrian nodded. "That's me."

Jenna groaned. "I give up."

"Ah the white flag." Hadrian nodded sagely. "Now be a good little soldier and surrender all the goods; I want all the details after I left you to your 'we're just chaperoning' date."

"You were there."

"Like I cared enough to eavesdrop or even pay all that much attention after I had that absolutely horrid run in with what they tried to sell as punch-"

"It was free."

"It tasted like a rats arse." Hadrian deadpanned with a shudder. "Now don't interrupt, it's rude. Where was I! Ah, Jeremy seems to have a new flame." he grinned as Jenna perked up. "One that follows him around like a puppy for a change. One that helped with the even though she doesn't even attend Mystic high."

"She's not a student?"

"Home schooled, apparently. Smart girl."

"Don't give me that I saw you dance like a pro and having the girls practically through their hearts at you after a single dance. You smiled." She emphasised with a grin.

He threw her a look that told her plainly she wasn't off the hook that easily, but rolled his eyes at her persistence.

"Fine woman, it wasn't as bad as I thought. But that's just because I can't resist the 50's the jitterbug, the jive, the Rock n' Roll, the swing moves mixed in… that can't be ruined, even with whiny teenage drama playing violin in the background." Hadrian didn't mention the surreptitious and continuous supply of premium firewhiskey and scotch that had found it's way to him, Jenna didn't need to know everything. If house elves had a salary, Kreacher would have more than earned himself a cushy pay rise.

Sometimes the sun seemed to shine out of that wrinkly, green arse.

* * *

 **Thanks so much for all the Follows, Favs and especially the Reviews and suggestions!**

 **IrisTurner;** We all know Elena is a whiner of the highest degree, she was _always_ going to moan and complain no matter her punishment. I just love the fact that this time there was no compelling her out of the situation like usual. As for Hadrian and the Mikaelsons; the plot will really take off once the originals stroll into town, despite the name change this is still Harry Potter who attracts chaos like flies.

 **RebelliousOne;** I'm glad you enjoy my Hadrian and since his 'inception' I always thought him and Kol were a match made in Heaven - or rather Hell as far as others are concerned. There will be so much fun and Chaos where ever they meet lol  
I have plans for Caroline, I never liked how poorly she was treated by her 'friends' no matter her flaws.  
To be honest I never thought about Vicki after she was killed off and much less about her mom but what you said gave me so many ideas... *evil grin*  
As for Katherine she's by far my favourite doppelganger and female TVD char. I'm an unashamed Team K fan, so you she will have a lot of screen time once she sets her healed feet into Mystic Falls. As you can see our mystery figure in the shadows is getting a bit restless and has taken to amusing themselves while stuck until the time is right for them to strike

 **ninjamonkey5684;** Always nice to meet a fellow Kol fan! No worries, like I mentioned above, he will get his time to shine.


	15. 14 Mothering Women and Hoarding Fathers

_**Disclaimer;I do not own Harry Potter or Vampire Diaries**_

 _ **Warnings; Mild torture**_

* * *

 _ **Chatpter 14;**_

 **Of Mothering Women and Hoarding Fathers in Coffins**

 _ **Saturday 11th December, 2009**_

Black wings stretched out far in both direction, elegantly cutting through the air as the slight body soared through the sky, the smallest shift of feathers expertly changing the direction and altitude, the avian fell into a dive breaking through the clouds and into the land below. Had there been lips and not a beak, Hadrian would have grinned in exhilaration at the adrenalin rush as his clawed feet just lightly brushed the top leaves of the tree as he moved into the horizontal. He could feel the moment as he crossed the wards onto his property as the magic zinged slightly at his feather tips as the wards tasted him and then let him through. A few moments of treetops and then there it was; his completed masterpiece.

With a happy caww, he swooped over the massive structure that had risen from the ground these past months, durable grey stone and shingles amongst a see of green. Proud emerald eyes drank in the tall building with it's developing garden, pointed roofs and the sheer Gothic wizardy charm that it exuded as the magic in the air became denser the closer he got to the Mansion. It was an work of art. The three large domed halls off-shooting from the square main building containing Ballroom, Gym and Conservatory with it's massive glass structure respectively, the inner patio with it's gurgling three fountains and inviting atmosphere nestled in between the four wall the main part of the house built around it, and in the center rising high from the exact center of the entire mansion and in line with the three connected halls was the slim five story tower overlooking the rest of the property. And with the house elves hard work this looked like a true home that had stood there for years and not a construction site that it had still resembled scant days ago.

The grand sparkling windows of the indoor pool - that had more window than wall in between the supporting pillars - the reflection of glass as the sun peaked out from between the clouds and hit all southward windows just right, twinkling up at him invitingly. With a soft clack off his beak that barely managed to express his satisfaction the emerald-eyed crow glided toward the open window on the first floor, easily slipping through the sheer curtain and landing on two bare human feet. Hadrian sighed in bliss as he felt the tension drain from him, sparkling emerald almost luminous as he slithered to the floor with a delighted stretch.

No matter the many rooms he'd brought to life over the past week, this was his favourite by far; the lounge with large windows to both the inner patio as well as onto the walled off private garden in the back. Not only was it a natural airy room that he'd designed so that in summer there would always be a nice breeze with both windows open, he had also turned it into a dream of 1001 Nights.

The hardwood floor had all but disappeared under all the thick rugs and multiple pillows littering the floor, the walls draped with embroidered curtains and sheer silks as huge cushions lined the room like some giant nest. It was a playground of sinful fabrics and different textures that had Hadrian's inner animagi purr as it appealed to his primal natures. The desire to lay down and just snuggle into the textures and laze around all day had become even more prevalent since he had installed the magical fire bowl in the center of the room, that gave off all the warmth and splendour of a true fire, but presented non of the hazard of burns or smoke. One look a it in that lounge in Persia and he had been in love, there was never even a question if he would acquire one or not, with it's craftsmanship and the constantly shifting of colourful flames he just had to show Teddy, he knew the little tyke would be endlessly fascinated.

Until now, he had forced himself to avoid the room like no tomorrow ever since he'd finished it nearly a week ago, as he'd known the moment he'd enter he'd give in to temptation and sink into one of those gorgeous cushions and not get back up, but the time of deprivation was finally over; he could roll around as much as he wanted.

With a sigh of deep bliss Hadrian sank himself deeper into the paradise of silk, velvet and cotton, feeling a wave of pure serenity settle inside his soul with the knowledge he was finally done. From top to bottom, inside, to outside he had completed every single task he'd set out to do and the four walls had become a home with warmth and whimsical light-heartedness under the natural Gothic charm and understated elegance.

Of course, the various guest rooms and the accompanying drawing room remained mostly bare except for the bare essentials, but that was just as well – too many empty prepared and ready rooms invited far too many troublesome guests that invited themselves in and were harder to get rid of than herpes by muggle means.

The point was; it was barely midday and he found himself blissfully free of any outstanding tasks and obligations. Well there was the dinner at the Lockwood's tonight but that was all pleasure and no chore, just a scrumptious family meal from the seemingly only woman in this town that could cook and her son (Richard would be there but he was insignificant enough that he didn't register above an irritating fly. So it was great relish that he burrowed himself further into his nest of pillows and contented himself and staring up at the beautifully painted night sky on the ceiling above, the stars twinkling merrily from between the sheer drapes.

 **-)§(-**

 **Several hours later...**

"Have I told you how glad I am that you are there to restore my faith in American women?" Hadrian inquired as he watched Carol expertly flip the vegetables in her pan with a toss and flick of her wrist, the juices sizzling in the oil as she put the pan back on the flame. It was a very, very far cry from what he had cringed through in those torturous cooking lessons Carol had somehow convinced him to give for that week in summer. The memories of that... _experience..._ still made him shudder; he'd seen things done to food that just wasn't natural.

He had been suitably appalled and traumatized.

Carol laughed. "Now you're exaggerating, dear." she admonished, but she was a pleased smugness there in curl of her mouth, the young Brit was afterall a cook that put many professional chefs to shame.

"Unfortunately enough. That steak from that Fell girl was so undone I wouldn't have been surprised if it jumped of the plate and made a run for it, and don't get me started on that Judy Mar-Mor-whatever-"

"Moraton"

Hadrian nodded. "-Moraton and her three sisters, I'd thought Jenna was bad at least she only managed to make me try vomit my whole stomach with those four aberrations I had to fear that their food grew teeth and tried to eat me."

"Now you're really exaggerating, it can't possibly have been that."

"It was." Hadrian proclaimed emphatically. "You were just too concerned with that Forbes to notice."

Carol stiffened, breaking the rhythm of her stirring. Hadrian used the time of inattention to plunder the bowls of already cut up vegetables, as the Lockwood woman whispered in an aggrieved voice, "she turned everything into briquette... she even managed to burn all the pasta into charcoaled strands."

"Jenna had that phase too, she ruined 2 pounds of premium beef at that one BBQ."

"How did you get her to _stop?"_ the mayors wife breathed.

"I made her eat it."

That startled a laugh out of Carol, saving her from her depression at her utter failure at getting any food ethics into the sheriffs in-law, and that in a former Miss Mystic Falls, it was an embarrassing travesty.

The next moment her wooden spoon thunked on the counter as she swiped at his light-fingered hand as it once again stole some of the cut up carrots, looking at the near empty bowl, Carol turned an narrow eyed stare on her guest. Hadrian just gave her an unrepentant grin as he nibbled on his prize unabashed.

Carol sighed. Just like Tyler... really, those two...

"Why don't you go upstairs and forewarn Tyler that dinner is ready in ten minutes, he gets so wrapped up in his homework sometimes." Carol requested not even trying to scold the teen."

"Yes Ma'am." Hadrian smirked, limberly getting off the stool and swiping the last pieces of orange vegetable and scrambling out of the kitchen with a laugh.

* * *

Tyler was decidedly not doing homework.

Emerald eyes glued to the screen and avidly followed the red orbs progress across the screen, humming in approval as time slowed to slow motion despite the dramatic tones of the music giving him an even better view. Yes Pamela Anderson certainly made those red bathing suits attractive.

Tyler startled infront of him and whirled around at the unexpected noise.

"Ryan! Since how long are you standing there?"

"Since she started running." Hadrian answered unashamedly, coming away from the door and making himself comfortable on the bed. "Your mom sent me up to tell you dinner will be ready in ten."

Tyler grunted ascent as his eyes returned to his flat screen as the blond long-legged beauty dived into the ocean, the captivated audience of one returning quickly to two. And that was how they were found fifteen minutes later engrossed in curves as the dialogue flew directly over their heads, they didn't even register the room door opening.

"Honestly boys!" Carol Lockwood stood behind them in the door, arms crossed and face lined in disapproval.

Tyler startled badly and instinctively leapt to cover the screen, that's where a big 43 inch screen became a disadvantage as Tyler found it impossible to cover it all even with his bulk, the attempt though made Hadrian laugh.

"This is your last meal before your long flight, I will not have you go hungry because you two were too distracted ogling women in skimpy outfits." she scolded the laughing wizard, hands on her hips.

"But it's Baywatch." hadrian dfenied the accusation with a grin as he leapt to his feet. "We were educating ourselves on how to save lives."

"Yeah Mom we were learning CPR." Tyler quickly jumped in hastily abandoning his failure at shielding, but Carol was hearing non of it.

"No excuses now." Lucky for both of them she grabbed their arms and not their ears, to forcefully drag her sons - biological and claimed - to the lovingly prepared feast. And a feast it was; the table was so laden that it looked to be groaning under all the weight. Hadrian couldn't stop his smile as they were planted on their seats and Carol fluttered about loading their plates with mountains of food from every dish before swinging around to do the same for the already seated Richard. Her mothering nature seemed to have been pushed into overdrive with his impending week-long absence so soon after his near intimacy with a bumper.

Sometimes Carol showed an uncanny resemblance to Mrs Weasley, only she was not smothering and had a certain elegance about her that the Weasley Matriarch had lacked, also she was not as domineering in her son's life and displayed non of the casual dismissal of opinions of her children - whether they be her own or not, having reached majority or not - when they clashed with her own views. Thank Merlin for small mercies Molly Weasley would drive Tyler completely insane in the span of a week. No, most of the time Carol reminded him more of Lady Malfoy, having the same fierce love and protective strike for her son hiding underneath the refined surface, both very capable of directing the most exquisite of events and silently insuring the families continued wellbeing from behind a strong husband. Though comparing Richard Lockwood to the imposing and silver-tongued politician that was Lucius Malfoy was laughable.

 **-)§(-**

Perched on a branch high up above the grave of the dearly departed Giuseppe Salvatore, they sat and watched as the mans murdered and his new obsession ambled along blazing torches in their hands as they set about desecrating the Founders last resting place.

To be honest they were a little surprised to see the doppelganger daring to leave the safety of her house now that it was already dark.

They had considered absconding with Jonathan Gilbert's Journal (burning any and all copies) and sending the lot of them on a wild goose chase. They didn't have that much time to waste on them; they did have other obligations and a demanding life. Delaying the opening of the tomb was counterproductive, opening it brought much needed excitement and spice into this dreary town.

Besides the little surprise they had planned out instead was so much more satisfying.

Remarkable; instead of doing the logical smart thing the doppelganger once again surprised with a lack of commonsense and clung to her Vampire Boy Toy even harder. The girl didn't have a lick of sense, or was it self-preservation?

Every time she so much as set a foot out the door, there was Stefan by her side, arms slung around her waist and almost hissing at anyone that so much as glanced in his precious human. But being so pampered and wrapped in cotton Elena Gilbert seemed to calm and relax, losing her nervous twitches and flinches at noises within days. What kind of doppelganger shit was this? Ruining all their fun with the might of a pair of broody googly eyes… Pah!

Then again... that meant she was around to play for a little more Doppelganger Gilbert's reactions, were always the most amusing. So dramatic and expressive. It would have been a shame if she sat their little surprise out, it was always better with an suitable audience that knew to scream in the right places. They'd set that trap a week ago highly anticipating the doppelgangers inevitable freak-out, so they'd been disappointed when they'd realized their interference meant she might be too scared to come along. Thank Salazar for inherent clinginess and greediness. It really was true; once a doppelganger staked a claim there was no escape, Stefan Salvatore was going to be a whipped dog for the rest of his undead life.

Back to the girl that had as recently as the day before adamantly refused to be anywhere but safely ensconced in her house as soon as the sky so much as started transitioning to dusk, but was now brazenly walking through dark woods armed with a mere flashlight. Brazenly may be a stretch when she was glued so close to her protectors side that he could barely walk despite his vampire prowess but she was still there none the less, no matter how much she flinched at every owl. When the unwillingness of him being out of her sight was greater than her fear, that meant she came along even if it was to an old cemetery at night, it seemed.

So yes they were surprised but pleasantly so.

Silently they watched cloaked in shadows and watched and listened to the sound of the shovel being thrust in the earth again and again, enduring the awkward graveyard flirting and Stefan's attempts at distraction when his labile human girlfriend got too nervous and shifty eyed scrutinising every shadow tensely and inching closer to the shovelling vampire at every noise. So when the dull impact of hard-packed dirt changed to the loud thump of metal meeting solid wood she was stood directly at the hole.

There was a pause and they could practically feel the spike of nervous energy as the youngest Salvatore looked up at Elena with apprehension.

Five…

Stefan looks up at Elena with apprehension.

Four…

Scraping the dirt off of the coffin, he tosses the shovel aside falling to his knees to wipe the coffin surface free with his hands-

Three…

-while Elena trains the flashlight onto the grave to make it easier and crouching to get a better look herself her fears forgotten for once as curiosity wins over.

Two...

Elena breathes heavily as more of the coffin lid was exposed. "Is that it?"

One.

She had barely spoken when liquid sprayed from the crack Stefan had pried open with his fingers the force of it flinging the lid open and dousing a stunned Stefan as Elena shrieked in fright, yet her voice was soon overpowered by Stefans as the vampire registed the burning blinding pain all over his boday as his skin melted and peeled from his flesh.

They had been right; Elena's reaction made this so much sweeter at least tripling their sadistic amusement as she stared with horrified round eyes as her strong protector vampire writhed in the forming puddle, her voice breaking and cracking as her vocal cords were unable to support her banshee like shriek any longer. They were actually forced to cover their ears as she noticed her soaked sleeve and her shriek started breaking the physical limits of what had been believed possible by humans and started to enter the realm of bats and cicadas, as she jumped and rolled around hysterically trying to get off the wet grey jersey under her leather jacket.

Then she fell over in a dead faint. They strongly suspected the stupid bint had forgotten to breath what with her continuous screeching.

In her panic she had not once realised that she had no reaction to the mixture at all. Vervained water had no effect on humans no matter how concentrated, on vampires on the other hand…

Within their silenced bubble they cackled, still half in disbelief how such a primitive trap had caught a creature with innate supernatural speed so unawares. Stefan was able to easily dodge flying stakes and wooden bullets out of nowhere but couldn't evade a blast of vervained water, in what kind of world did that make sense? Not that they were complaining, it made things very entertaining especially since he made no attempts whatsoever to actually escape the growing tub of toxic water and was satisfied to roll around in it. It's like he called monopoly on stupid life decisions, absolutely no compulsions or magic necessary.

Ah... he was groping around for the Grimoire, they noted as the square package thumped on the forest floor. Well his efforts were all for naught. It had barely touched the ground when it was gone, snatched up by a black blur.

"Well, what do you know?" Damon sneered his lip curling in a snarl as he watched his soaked brother choke down his pained yells, dark eyes lit up in sadistic satisfaction. "This is an interesting turn of events. Now I'm actually glad you're such a predictable backstabber, otherwise that would be me."

"D-! D...Damon…h-help."

"I don't think so." Damon denied with a smirk, "This seems like just punishment."

"I-I can't let you... bring her back! I'm sorry."

"So am I. For thinking for even a second that I could trust you."

"You're not capable of trust! The fact that you're here means that you read the journal and you were planning on doing this yourself." Stefan gritted out through his pain, glaring at his brother and managing to pull himself out halfway.

"Of course I was going to do it by myself, because the only one I can count on is me! You made sure of that many years ago, Stefan. But _you_..."

He turned to the just reawakened doppelganger who had curled herself up against a tree and flinched as those intense eyes locked on her form.

"You had me fooled." Elena lookes away ashamed unable to meet those intense wrathful eyes any longer.

"Well I got what I wanted." He hefted the grimoire up, showing it off with a smirk. He was already turning to walk off before he turned around again as he visibly remembered something. "Ah! one last thing..."

Damon sped over and with a blurred kick and a splash sent Stefan back into the vervain filled pit, holding him there underwater with his boot for a few long seconds as Stefan thrashed and Elena screeched at him to stop. "Thank you for getting me my book and give father a kiss from me while you're at it."

With that he was gone.

They wondered about his reaction when he realized the package was nothing but a fake, the real one already having been traded two hours ago for 2.5 million and an open favour – after they had duplicated it and then removed over half the pages from the one they handed over. No need to hand the budding Bennet wiccan too much power; she was going to develop a vengeful streak that they saw no reason to empower.

Not much had changed from the original but with them toying with the Scooby gang the time-frame had almost been pushed back a bit as it was only the day before that Stefan had finally confessed to Elena his plan of stabbing his older brother in the back, just in time for Damon to come calling to question her about his baby brother's intentions. Sometimes fate had a habit of righting itself as key pivotal points found themselves reintegrating themselves - it was always so fascinating to see when it happened with most of the world completely unaware except for the chosen and gifted few such as them. The tomb would still be opened tomorrow, right on schedule, but they had already lost interest in the affair, it was so predictable they didn't even need their gift to know exactly how that was going to go down.

The 12th, as mentioned, was a pivotal point that set the pace for the entire next year, yet is was this moment, here in the graveyard, that had already set it into stone. Now it was merely a script of a book he knew by heart that was waiting to be read out. Too boring to waste a second of their precious time on. No their attention was on something decidedly more worthwhile and exciting on the 12th.

It were only the results and the waves it created that mattered along with the knowledge of the delicious mess those imbeciles were inadvertently going to create for themselves, not that paltry little wiccan ritual that that they could overpower almost in their sleep.

No there was no need to witness _that,_ it was enough for them to know that the events of tomorrow night marked the commencement of the next chapter that was fraught with violence and new arrivals. Imminent arrivals that this small inconspicuous town that wasn't all that ready for. It was going to be their pleasure to watch them collectively flounder and walk around unaware of what exactly had stepped into their midst.

One thing was for sure though, extending their stay in Egypt and studying the enchantments and wards of the pyramids had not been a waste. It was not just their special brand of necromancy that the Old Ancients of Egypt were masters of, their wards were the nastiest pieces of work they had ever seen besides the works of the Blacks and that of the Dark Lord, and their rulers had proven their viciousness and ingeniousness in even their simplest of traps. They looked forward to proving the worth of their foray into the intricacies of their work when the opportunity presented itself; they had so many ideas and such lovely test subjects here that were only too happy to blame each other and therefore left them free to observe and dissect them from afar in peace. They were not one to spurn such a gift.

* * *

Thanks again to **Birdychirp** for pointing out that completely brainless mistake of mine! Seriously so embarrassing. Do you guys want to see the actual scene of 'Mystery Person' selling the book or will you be satisfied with later second hand accounts?

 **Condie2013;** _It's not like Hadrian hasn't considered it lol and I can see that just happening, but they will have to annoy him a lot more for him to break his control, he is adamant in staying incognito after all. If it did happen he would notice from the surveillance that is still monitoring the boarding house and hunt them down and go all creepy unspeakable on them, bodybind them, force vertisarium down their throats to get every shred of evidence and then oblivate them with a nice little extra present for causing him all the trouble lol._

 **IrisTurner;** _Hadrian does have a very pronounced Slytherin side and uses all to his advantage even if it is his close relationship to Carol Lockwood to ensure he gets his own revenge back without having Jenna mad at him. And yes his Black blood is very strong. I'm always tempted to fast forward to the arrival of the Originals but I_ ... **must. Resist.**

 **PersephoneTheQueen;** _Noted! I'm keeping a vague tally in my head along with the ideas I have swirling around for the possible routes._

 **RebeliousOne;** _I always love the long reviews they give me so much to work with! Jenna really is starting to come into her own and getting to be the woman she was before all this mess and pressures so suddenly dumped on her. As for Elena; I hope I showed the changes from canon clearly enough, she is far less confident and although she went to the cemetery with Stefan it was because she only feels safe with him and couldn't bear the thought of him so far out of reach in case something did happen, so she went along, there was also the slight fear of Damon finding out that she lied and confronting her when Stefan was away. Damon can get into her house after all. Though Elena will still be involved in a lot of the cannon moments since a. she often had no choice in the matter (she get's kidnapped rather a lot) and b. it's in her nature to be meddlesome, if it involves people she sees as hers she has to be included she won't stand for anything else._  
 _Though you are right that the Mystery Person will often use her as entertainment every chance they get as right now they are planning and forced to wait and quite bored of it so they see the doppelganger as the perfect toy to pass the time with, interesting but not really magical. As for their motives; that is a secret for now, as they keep their cards close to their chest and so I won't explain their actions until it is revealed naturally during the course of the story or it would ruin the fun. I can say that their existence isn't going to stay a secret for too much longer as the scooby gang start to catch glimpses of them.  
_ _As for Hadrian, he's not a creature, he's just very comfortable in his skin and very in-touch with his animagus which he has multiple forms, i.e crow and black cat. As for Harry/Kol; it has to one of my favourite pairings and I'm seriously considering it. The two will be close at any rate._

 _Wow this was a long answer! Now finally dear Kathrine as I said I like her so where Elena clearly suffers she will have far more luck than in cannon. Kathrine will like this all very, very much..._


	16. 15 Of Liberation and Traps

**_Disclaimer; I don't own Harry Potter or Vampire Diaries._**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 15;_**

 **Of Liberation and Traps**

 ** _Sunday 12th December, 2009_**

Robes flaring behind him, Hadrian strode through the white marble halls paying no attention to the gawking masses, pausing for non of the wizards trying to catch his eye or even sparing them a single glance unless they were obstinate enough to stand in his way. His glacial eyes quickly dealt with those. No, his only focus was the Head Goblin teller on his elevated stool examining the most precious of the earths treasures, the overseer of the lobby and not bothered by the day to day affair of the bank's customers. The crowd wisely parted like the red sea at his unstoppable advance, lest they be crushed by his aura, giving him easy access.

"Merry meet Master Ripclaw, may your gold and Clan grow and your enemies fall before you."

"And may your Fortune double and your enemies know no mercy, Lord Potter."

Without a further word, Hadrian reached into his robes and presented an envelope with a broken Gringotts seal. The goblin took it and examined it briefly, verifying it's authenticity, before looking back at one of the banks richest customers. "Hardhook Escort Lord Potter

"This way Lord Potter." Hadrian followed as he was lead through the twisting labyrinth of hallways that lay just beyond the lobby found off the main hall past numerous grand office doors of the goblin Managers fitted with golden placetts and stamped with the family crests of those accounts they presided over here i

To the familiar office of his account manager.

It wasn't until the door was firmly closed and the privacy wards slid in place, that Master Sharpfang addressed him. "Ah High Lord Peverell-Potter-Black, just on time."

"Master Sharpfang," he replied dryly, ignoring the jolt that went through him at hearing his correct title. Only a very select few knew of his full heritage and he was invested in it staying that way. His two publicly known titles coupled with his fame already garnering him enough attention, there was no need to excite the masses any further, they were already enthusiastic enough. "Hadrian is sufficient."

"As you wish Lord Hadrian." The goblin acquiesced like the professional business man he was – as if! They went through the same spiel every time since _years_ … that cheeky little fucker; as if he didn't remember. Hah! Sharpfang wouldn't be the ruthlessly effective account manager he was, if he couldn't remember the smallest of details at a moments notice, and recite his every transaction or deal since the first by heart, along with all the slippery bylaws needed to get what he wanted done speedily. Although publicly distanced from their bloody roots, Goblins remained terrifying to this day in that they never forgot anything especially any slights rendered. With their much longer lifespan they could carry a grudge over generations and beyond. The fate of the House of Binns is just one of the many tragic examples.

"The clan healers have already prepared everything and are in the process of retrieving your charge from the bowels of the Crystal Halls. The moment they are ready we will be notified."

Ah the Crystal Halls… What he wouldn't give to see that splendour with his own eyes, just once, but the Goblin Nation guarded even their existence more zealously than a nesting mother dragon her nest. It was one of the largest cave system with naturally growing crystals imbued with the magic of the earth that bubbled forth from being located at intersecting ley lines – it was a treasure of invaluable worth to magicals and from what he had inferred cause of many of the ancient goblin wars before it's existence had been cleverly hidden by his sly friends of short stature.

"The treatment cost was as calculated and the appropriate funds have been withdrawn form the Black vaults. You will need to sign the last withdrawal to finalize the treatment." Hadrian took the offered file and quickly scanned through it with a swift thoroughness that came form ease of practice.

The documents were quickly signed, handed back and shelved.

"Would you like to discuss the accounts in the meantime?"

Hadrian nodded, "that would be for the best."

Best get the work out of the way first and knowing the true massiveness of the goblin kingdom, it could take a while even with their speedy carts.

He was very pleased with the results of his newer investments and the marked increase in percentile from the last quarter in his family businesses. Who would have thought that the Boy-Who-Lived-In-A-Cupboard would one day earn more money in a quarter than the whole of Privet Drive put together in a year? Investing in those muggle companies had certainly paid off. It was certainly far more than the little boy under the stairs had ever been able to dream about.

And that was for only one of the inheritances he controlled.

"Now that the old companies and ventures are visibly active once more; there have also been very persistent inquiries into the identity of the new Peverell Lord," Sharpfand informed him, then bared his teeth in a nasty smirk, "Along with a host of new proposals and offered contracts."

Hadrian grimaced, well aware what the most of those contracts were likely to be, being regularly swamped with the likes. "Standard procedure with the betrothal and marriage contracts, the rest you can forward to me and I'll sort them through in my own time."

"As you will."

Thankfully to his agitated nerves, it was then that there was a knock on the door and a goblin messenger had come to fetch them and only a small walk further into the bowels of the Goblin Kingdom, had them reach the ritual site. The ritual room was a large hollowed cave with high ceiling and a intricate circle of runes engraved into the stone floor inlaid with gold, silver and mithril… from what he could see. In the figurative corner of the oval room a fully functional healers bay was outfitted and already occupied by a bustling host of healers. His nervously beating heart calmed some when he spotted a familiar face among the healers; Healer Florafang, premier Healer of the Fang Clan and a miracle worker.

Greetings were dealt with a simple quick nod as the healer was busy whipping her apprentices into shape. Sharpfang watched in pride as his wife showed her mettle, commanding them with a harshness and authority of a General on the battlefield as they leapt to obey her every word, the goblin well aware of how important the next hours were not only for his Clan but the Goblin Nation as a whole, his gimlet eyes switching to the agitated wizard beside him.

Doors on the other side that had been invisible to the naked eye whilst closed clanged open and admitted a host of goblins heaving and pushing a metal cart into the room, yet they could have been air for all the notice Hadrian took of them as soon as his eyes alighted on the large cloth covered form on the cart. With keen eyes he watched it rolled into the room and with much exertion it was placed in the centre of the ritual, Sharpfang informing him that due the properties of the crystal that no magic could be used for the transportation, as it would simply be absorbed.

Despite employing every ounce of occlumency he had, Hadrian's eyes began to water as the linen was yanked off and he got his first glimpse of his godson since that wretched night almost four years ago. He looked so peaceful and healthy. And whole.

Hadrian still had nightmares of seeing that small battered body, convulsing on the ground as the curse ran rampart, turning skin black and decaying flesh. Watching as tiny fingers disintegrated into nothing amidst tortured screams. How the flesh rendered from his bones and where there was once a tiny arm there was just the twisted mockery of one left. He could still hear the young vocal cords rip as the screams reached a new fevered pitch. His little godsons face twisted in inhuman agony. Had he been only a second later, the curse would have travelled from the skeletal left arm of black diseased bones down the shoulder to the heart; it would have been too late.

Fists clenched and the room trembled slightly as he forced back his furious magic, he could not allow himself to lose control here. If he did Teddy might still die, the extraction from the crystal was delicate, him being allowed to watch was a privilege that would be swiftly revoked at the tiniest of misdemeanour on his part.

Calm. Teddy was safe.

He had personally sent those responsible into the afterlife... after inflicting on them weeks of the deepest of agony and torment that turned men into drooling vegetables. Exhaling forcefully Hadrian focused on the healthy glow to Teddy's skin that was even visible through the thick layer of smoky crystal, that more than anything else soothed his heart.

Apprehensively, Hadrian watched as Goblins trooped in and started to form a circle around the Teddy and the rune array, and without a waste of time started their chant of gobblegook. He didn't know what was more unnerving that he couldn't understand it or the few words he could identify, that was quickly cleared up as a goblin who had stood off to the side pulled out a huge battle axe out of nowhere. That thing was a work of art, with intricate engravings and studded with glowing gems, but it didn't fool him; as soon as he saw it, he felt a shiver down his spine, that edge was wickedly sharp and reeked of ancient magic. So he was suitably startled that the grim goblin warrior hefted it over his shoulder and did a running jump – seriously, even magic had it's limits, that monstrosity was larger than the goblin himself. How could he pick it up much less get an inch off the ground? – and brought it down on the crystal-encased Teddy. With a large shatter the hard as diamond shell cracked and crumbled exploding outward with the force of the magic.

Before Hadrian could even twitch healer Brightfang was already there; scooping up the unconscious body before it could even begin to slump, and laying him on the prepared cot where her apprentices immediately started checking vitals.

Then Hadrian was there, looming over them, sharp emerald eyes critically taking in every inch of the now clearly visible godson, only relaxing slightly as he saw the small chest rise and fall in deep even breaths. He released a shaken breath of his own.

It was done. Teddy was finally healed... the most critical point of getting him breathing after freeing him of the crystal cocoon had passed.

Hadrian sank to his haunches in boneless relief, taking care to not get in the way of the healers – Hogwarts pupils might not believe it, but goblin healers were far more fearsome than the Dragon Matron from the infirmary. All self-respecting goblin healers knew how to get unwanted nuisances off their back and cow unruly patients into compliance with a flash of live steel, and had no compunction of using it even if it meant more patients.

With idleness Hadrian noticed the clump of crystal by his foot, curiously he picked it up noting the change from bright silvery opaque to a darker glint of metallic almost the stormy grey that was the signature of the Black family's eyes. Hefting the fist sized piece of crystal he let his gaze wander through the scattered remains strewn about the room. Hmmm, a talk with Sharpfang was warranted.

 **-)§(-**

It was only after a long twenty minutes that his Teddy began to stir, and he was allowed into his vicinity. Hadrian watched avidly as the dark crescents quivered as eyelids struggled to lift and finally hazy amber eyes saw light for the first time since years. His breath caught as they slid over to his form and recognition flickered in those large expressive eyes. Hadrian tried to give his best smile but he was sure he managed no better than a pitiful facsimile **.**

Then his heart leapt into his throat, as those amber eyes shifted to lively emerald and those pouty lips formed the most brilliant of smiles he had ever seen. "Daddy!" the voice was low and scratchy from disuse but Hadrian had never heard anything sweeter.

With wet eyes Hadrian glomped his godson wrapping his arms securely around the slight form, burying his face amidst the vibrant blue strands rooting out the sweet scent that was uniquely Teddy under all the foreign influences and musk of potions clinging to his skin even after the sponge bath. He had him back.

How much Hadrian simply wanted to whisk him away and sequester him in his manor away from the rest of the world…but alas there were even shackles that bound him.

The dreaded, insistent invitation to Malfoy Manor he had accepted under duress and the guise of a well-meaning favour. That it was one given two years ago didn't matter one bit other than making it even more binding.

He did not know what drugs he had been on to give Draco that promise to let him outfit Teddy and himself once he was healed, that sly snake using his grief hazed state against him. It just goes to show one did not linger after Wizengamot meetings, especially six hour long ones that had one contemplating AKs - whether on others or a quick one to the temple to end the torment, was up to the individual and depended on the stage of the desperation.

Using his sweet son as bait… that ferret really had no shame at all.

 **-)§(-**

Welcome said the spider to the fly.

"Malfoy." Hadrian spat.

"Potter." Draco sneered back, eyeing him like a disgusting bug he had just crushed under his heel.

"Uncle Harry!" Scorpious broke etiquette as soon as his mother was out of the room and jumped at him with an enthusiastic flying leap, babbling a mile a second.

Draco just heaved a sigh and rolled his eyes, long having given up correcting that particular style of greeting when it concerned Potter, instead turning his attention to the little boy standing shyly by the ravens side, half hidden in the folds of the tallers robes.

"It's good to see you again Teddy." Draco said with a smile crouching in front of the shyly peeking child, pleased when the large green eyes shifted to a liquid silver as soon as their eyes met and recognition flickered in the small face. "Uncle Dray."

"Yes Teddy, I'm glad you're better now, I already called Monsieur LeBadour – you remember him don't you?"

"The funny man with the scissors and his pretty clothes?"

Draco grinned, "Exactly. He's very excited to see you again." He whispered conspiratorially to the young Heir Black, pleased beyond measure to be able to corrupt the young one to the proper way of fashion – if only because he knew it would drive his old rival insane that he nurtured the connection to the French tailor with the small obsession with little Teddy and his ' _magnifique_ ' talent. Served him right for the countless sleepless nights of robbed beauty sleep because he wound Scorp up into such an excitable state with the stories of his travels, who was now of the determination to emulate the man and travel the world for the rest of his life. Astoria always proved to be especially waspish after such declarations, insisting it wasn't right as a Firstborn Heir of a Ancient and Noble House. Even while half across the world Potter could still cause him grief.

So it was with satisfaction that he took the grinning boy's hand and led him to the prepared parlour where the fashion zealot was laying in wait in his lair of silks and needles, while his son did the brilliant job of badgering Potter with thousand questions and engrossing him in the conversation. His little future Slytherin…

With a shark like grin hidden behind the gentle pureblood mask, he led his young Black cousin to be educated and in the fine points of life, waiting in full gleeful anticipation for the Potter Lord to race headlong into the parlour and the clutches of the spider. LeBardour didn't _only_ have a fascination with the younger of the pair, very much enamoured with the sensual aura that wrapped around Potter like a cloak, thus had granted Draco many a favour in juicy gossip only to have the raven between his needles once more.

This time Lord Malfoy had raised the anti-elf apparition wards in the east wing, there would be no premature departure this time.

Welcome to Malfoy Manor indeed.

 **-)§(-**

 _ **Monday 13th December, 2009**_

Instead of midday, it wasn't until the afternoon of the next day that Hadrian could return to his Manor with the excited Teddy in tow. Hadrian shivered and quickly shut the memories of the past afternoon in a locked box, which he placed in another box, that he trampled by a host of giants, before throwing the flattened remains into the endless depths of the well of I'll-Never-Ever-Think-Of-It-Again.

After being stuck on a small platform being circled by a cross between a vulture eying a fresh piece of meet and a lusty fox; being cooed over, prodded, molested, suffocated and groped, travelling _anywhere_ but to the nearest shower then bed had been beyond him.

That smug git Malfoy had somehow turned into the Antichrist, the fiend giving the touchy feely fashionista with scissors more suggestions every time he saw the ray of hope at the end of the torturous tunnel. Plunged into the depths of despair anew by wicked gleaming, inhuman silver eyes.

Then he completely crossed the line and called in Narcissa – okay, he admitted it; he should have found a better way to make his escape than blasting out the window and trying to jump out of it with a weightless Teddy in his claws… but he had been desperate!

Narcissa had been ecstatic, and put Carol to shame with her sheer enthusiasm and vigour as she ran the two assistants ragged with her sharp demands, not giving them a single second of reprieve.

He was so going to get him back…

The only good thing to come of that unholy alliance of godsons, Malfoys and Tailors of Hell was that the two boys had hit it off instantly; after getting one good look at each other there had been like an instant connection between the Black blooded boys and an inexplicable need in their veins to go out into the world and drown it in chaos. It was a moment he imagined to mirror the one of Sirius Black and James Potter so long ago on the gleaming Hogwarts Express.

One thing was for sure though, despite the thrill at witnessing the momentous occasion; he was grateful it took place on Malfoy soil and endeavoured to ensure the next few meetings would as well as the two devils wasted no time at all in making good on their new partnership that had the foreshadowing of eclipsing even the Marauders and Weasley twins. Yes the reintroduction between those and the boys could wait, Hadrian had decided seeing them sweep through the formerly pristine Manor like a tornado, he would endeavour to keep the lot apart for a few years, preferably until they would be off to Hogwarts and gone for nine months of the year.

Poor McGonagall, she had no idea what was awaiting her on the horizon… and Hadrian resolved to keep her in the dark until that fateful September 1st, lest she get it in her head retire beforehand.

The two terrors brought havoc into the grand Manor and panic to the pitiable house elves who had to scramble after them, leaping to save decour and, occasionally, two boys from themselves.

Hadrian found some vindictive relish in the screeches and chaos that, for once, he was unable to be blamed for as his feat had been forcibly glued to that platform the whole time.

Only the threat of a sleep potion had the two boys sleep at all as they had their impromptu sleep over in Scorp's fortress of pillows and stuffed animals that was his king sized bed.

The wince of the ferret had been insanely satisfying when they heard a crash and the subsequent horrified shriek of the new Mrs Malfoy as she lamented the loss of her grandmothers vase via two rambunctious boys and their indoors broom race, very loudly at that.

Needless to say he grabbed Teddy and was through the floo without so much as a by your leave.

He had to thank Malfoy for one thing though; the shy insecure boy that had only been a shadow of himself when they left Gringotts, was back to the happy and enthusiastic boy he was used to. Hadrian didn't think he'd have managed the feat so quickly without the mischievous force of nature that was Scorpius Malfoy.

This is how he found himself stepping out of the large floo of his entrance hall, with more than a day delay, Teddy staring at the largest fireplace he had ever seen in his young life. It's mouth was so big he couldn't even touch the top when he jumped! He was only able to touch the top when he sat on daddy's shoulders and stretched as far as he could… and it was so wide! Teddy had to run from one end to another!

An amused Hadrian watched Teddy explore his fascination with the fireplace, the little boy so engrossed that he hadn't even noticed the rest of the house, as he hugged the walls as he shimmied around the green flames making Hadrian very glad that Kreacher had a firm hand on things and ensured it was always soot free or he would have a little mucky monster to deal with, as Teddy seemed determined to touch every stone.

"Ahhh! Daddy there's a lion!" Teddy ran out and straight into Hadrian's legs, grasping the robes in each hand and pulling it closed infront of his small body so only his mop of now stark white hair and ever curious blue eyes were visible. Hadrian chuckled. "It's the flue, it opens up the chimney. It's not a real lion just metal made to look like it."

"It won't eat me?"

"Of course not. It's here to protect you; if anyone bad forces their way in from the floo it will gobble them up."

"Like the bad men at grandma's?" Teddy whispered.

"Yes and look-" Hadrian pointed at the two obsidian marble panthers that lounged on the wide mantel "- those are the protectors, they'll get anyone that gets past the lion. They'll come to life and jump on them."

"Whoa!" Teddy instantly ran toward to the statues staring at them with awed eyes, his hair a dark obsidian to match his fear forgotten.

"But you forgot the best and fiercest protector that no one gets past; Kreacher."

There was a pop and the cranky old house elf was there decked out in his black uniform wearing the Black crest proudly, his default scowl turning into a softer expression as he saw the little Black Heir that looked so much like his Master Regulus - even if he'd had that nasty flea rug's blood.

"Kreacher!" Teddy shrieked in absolute joy and hugged the elf who unbent enough to gift the boy with an actual smile. "Welcome home little Master. Now you be going, Missy has prepared lunch for Masters."

It seemed showing Teddy around could wait, the boy already following the call of his rumbling stomach and happily being led to the kitchen talking a mile a minute. With a smile Hadrian followed the excitable voices as missy and her cohorts enthusiastically welcomed their littlest Master back into their smothering bossom.

* * *

 _Has anyone ever seen The Haunting(1999)? That Manor(? Castle?) is beyond amazing! I basically only watch the movie to see the house! The fireplace is from there and I'm considering including the conservatory(minus that creepy naked statue that looks like it's having a bath), I love the whimsically the mansion has under all the creepyness, though it could do without the carvings of those many, many cherubic kid heads…ugh they creep me out the most, it doesn't help that they_ ** _move_**. *shudder*

 **CornFlake27;** _I can't speak about others, but for me it's because the male characters are waaaayy more interesting and far less annoying than the many female ones. I can only read Harry paired with Luna, Hermione, Daphne or Fleur so many times before I have enough of it. Besides my Hadrian is a free for all hedonist so he's not strictly gay, and since_ **raphaela roro** _mentioned it, I can't get a side-pairing of Hadrian and Kitty Kat out of my head, she is one of my favourite TVD chars. Now I only have to find a good way to make that happen..._

 **Nanashi Samurai;** _Thank you! I'm glad you like it. Half my motivation for writing this was to give Elena exactly what she deserves, sometimes i really wonder how I could have been so blind and not see how annoying she is... I must have been too dazzled by Damon. Oh yes Hadrian will get his fair share of love and passion._

 **Bloody Grim;** _You know, I'm actually happy about that. 'Mystery Person' is going to play an antagonistic role soon... though_ I'll _still hate Elena the most lol_

 **IrisTurner;** _I'm glad you liked the trap, my first time watching hat scene I had expected something to happen only to be disappointed, though the appearance of Damon made up for it... Do you think it's even possible for Hadrian to stay out of any kind of chaos, especially when it's happening in his metaphorical front yard? No way lol. I agree, Finn with his self-pity would drive Hadrian to dagger him within a week, definitely not a match I see happening._

 **RebeliousOne;** _As for the Miss Mystic Fall's thing; Elena will be allowed to participate, the Fell girls were allowed to compete in canon despite their criminal records, she just won't have a snowballs chance in hell getting the crown. Besides I already have plans for that... As for Hadrian and Mystery Person any confrontation will be long off as the latter has made it their top priority to stay low key until they are ready that includes staying far away from Teddy, Carol, Tyler and Jenna. So you won't ever find the two of them in the same place, you can't forget Mystery has the very useful tool of future visions there is no need for them to linger around outside windows to know exactly what is going on in the small idyllic town of Mystic Falls.  
_ _As for Elena her reaction to being a captive of Trevor and Rose will be different due to her numerous traumas, as you said she is very bullheaded so it will often seem that the events had little effect on her at first but it will take it's toll on her, at first it just makes her cling even tighter to the protector she sees stefan as because while she was bit he was there when she woke up, caring for her and already healed her. In her eyes he makes everything better so she'll still do stupid, reckless things to keep him by her side._

 **BirdyChirp;** _Nope, unfortunately Damon has already chosen his side and is withing Elena's clutches and following canon will be her ever faithful lapdog, the mere sight of that will disgust Hadrian enough to make him stay away. A shame since I really like Damon but I need him like that for this story._

 **natasha . jones.1652;** _My thoughts exactly. As for Klaus Hadrian interactions I'll not say yet, you'll have to read and see... I can't wait until I finally get to that part._

 **APridefulSin;** _Thank you for answering! I prefer it that way, it will come up later when Damon investigates._

 _ **AnimeFreak71777;** Thank you :)_


	17. 16 A House Becoming A Home

_**Disclaimer; My name is neither JK Rowling or LJ Smith, so it's not mine.**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 16;**_

 **A House turning into a Home**

 ** _Monday 13th December, 2009_**

He should have known better.

Hadrian was wrenched out of his content dreams by a piercing shriek that echoed through the whole manor, his battle hardened instincts had him on his feet with his wand in hand before it's echoes had even rung it's last.

Realising the source he was out the door, before he could even call himself all kinds of stupid; he knew from experience the kind of horrors that liked to visit the mind at night.

He cursed himself for designing that small room door, Teddy may have loved having that unique round door that was just right for his size for him, but if this continued he'd be black and blue with a concave forehead.

Rubbing his head he spied the shaking small form completely under the covers curled together as slight gasps of choked sobs could be heard.

"Oh Teddy." Hadrian sighed saddle walking up to the bed stroking the mop of white hair that peeked out from the safety of the covers at his voice.

"Daddy…" Teddy flung himself with a wail no longer trying to be brave and hold back his tears.

It was a good thing he had insisted on a full sized queen bed instead of what muggles expected as a bed a seven year old should have, there was more than enough space for Hadrian to stretch out as he slipped in beside Teddy and pulled him to his chest securely as he soothingly ran his hand up and down the small back.

He admitted he might _have…slightly_ gone _, a bit_ , overboard in his enthusiasm. He hadn't stopped at the bed, or even at the large en suite bathroom with it's sunken bathtub, no, he had outdone himself with every spark of creativity he had. Hadrian had converted three of the five walls in the distorted pentagonal room into a lifelike scene of a magical forest, complete with realistically occurring magical plants and their oft seldom behaviour; like the grappler vines that slithered towards every animal that wandered into it's vicinity. Magical creatures were not missing either in this scene as he'd truly outdone himself, other than wandering herds of mundane deer, bunnies and mice there were a multitude of others like bowtruckles making themselves at home in the trees and fairy sprites flitting among the willows during the sunlight hours. The ceiling was seemingly nonexistent, as it gave way to the sky above and the canopy of leaves from the forest that dominated the walls creating the impression of being outside, the illusion only supported by the faint forest-like sounds barely audible. It, of course, mimicked the day and night cycle and he had even synced it with the seasons, a truly tricky piece of work, but the fascination in his godsons little face had been worth every cramped finger and frustrating hour puzzling over the arithmetic equations.

The hardwood floor was of the finest purpleheart as he knew Teddy treasured all shades of purple as the colour was all he could clearly remember from his mother, and in the centre by the large exotic chest he had acquired for him in china, was the fluffiest of dark purple carpets with indigo swirls.

A cushioned windowseat with it's own well stocked bookshelf had found Teddy's quick approval as well, as it appealed to his quiet Ravenclaw side and Harry wouldn't be surprised if he found him there curled up with a book and sneaked hot chocolate in the early mornings to come, as sometimes it was so very obvious whose son Teddy was.

He looked forward to it; to the day Teddy abandoned his hesitance and truly saw this as _his_ room, _his_ home, to do within whatever he felt like.

Hugging his calming bundle closer and placing a kiss on his brow, verdant eyes lazily swept over the forest scene, listening to the ever so faint sounds of the leaves it emanated.

He knew come full moon there would be a small pack of werewolves making the painted meadow their home, with cubs frolicking under the sharp gaze of their elders and the Alpha bearing a great resemblance to Moony. Teddy was no werewolf, so he wouldn't transform, but he had enough blood that he was very active during those nights unable to find sleep until the early hours so he would find much joy in watching the scenes.

Today the moon displayed was wan, so the scenery was peaceful with fairylights a magical species of fireflies that could be found year round in magical areas and gently danced about in the meadow now awe-inspiring with their choreographed intricate dances. They both watched mesmerised as Teddy calmed down, snuggled safely into Hadrian's side.

"Better?" Hadrian asked a while after the last of sniffles had fallen silent, knowing better than to ask about the nightmare.

Teddy nodded, leaning into Hadrian's hand as he tugged it through the messy mop of hair that had once again darkened. "Tell me a story?"

"Of course, Teddybear."

"Can you tell me of the time you met a nundu? Scorp said you escaped one all on your own!" Teddy requested life returning to his drawn face in the face of an adventure.

Hadrian smiled. "Well not all on my own. It all started in a small village in Alexandria where I met this silly man tripping all over himself…"

 **-)§(-**

 ** _Wednesday 15th December, 2009_**

The morning dawned bright and early and with it a white blanket of snow covering everything outside. Finally! Soon he would have had to help nature along and give winter a little push; Yule wasn't complete without an afternoon in snow, not in his eyes anyway, but he may be a bit spoiled there considering his youth in the Scottish Highlands that could boast three inch high snow in November.

A day outside in the snow sounded perfect, it would give certain small individuals time to calm down and reaffirm the sanctuary of their domain.

Much to Missy's horror, the two of them had taken over the kitchen yesterday and made a mess of epic proportions. For the second time this winter, Hadrian descended on his kitchen like a wrathful god, this time with High Priest Teddy at his side to properly break in the new one; it had been a massacre. Eggs were smashed, dough beaten into submission before being drawn and quartered and it's remains desecrated by cutting it in small pieces to be decorated and mocked – all to satisfy their gluttony and appease their unquenchable appetite for sweets. The Ancient and Noble House of Black had officially pulled out the Family Baking Grimoire and started on their Yule baking.

It's seems today they were going to enjoy flinging about a white substance of a different kind, which was good, because he'd heard Missy muttering darkly late last night when he went down for a midnight snack – apparently even with spells flour was hard to get out of crevices. It would be a few days of good behaviour until they were allowed near her sanctuary again.

As if to encourage this thought, a tray of blueberry pancakes appeared on his lap complete with honey, extra mix of fruits and big steaming mugs of hot chocolate. Hadrian sweatdropped, yes, Missy was so very eager to keep them far away from her precious kitchen today.

 **-)§(-**

It was late afternoon, after a lot of tumbling in the snow and fierce snowball fights, and the great tragedy that was the collapse of their makeshift igloo burying Hadrian underneath it until his valiant knight Teddy had rescued him. It had been a morning with nothing but laughter and all was good… until Kreacher pulled them back inside by their ears with a scolding for trying to catch their death and freeze their noses off. Lunch had proven to be a challenge wrapped up in blankets as they were, with strong threats warning against daring to stick out even a single toe out from within their confines. The carrot soup was delicious though, so he didn't mind, and he took many picture of the quivering mountain of blankets that had once been his giggling godson as the little tyke tried to crawl away unseen. Needless to say; you don't escape a concerned, overprotective house elf, proven when suddenly two more heavy blankets dropped on the fleeing moving mountain.

"Look! Look d-Uncle Harry!" Teddy exclaimed excitedly from his perch on the top floor landing, having finished affixing the twigs of mistletoe along the banister decorations

"Perfect! Well done, Teddy." Hadrian praised looking up from his place halfway underneath the needled branches of the Christmas tree that went along with _Hagrid's_ idea of a tree rather than that of a normal persons. "Do you want to help me with the tree decorations?"

"Yes!" Teddy agreed eagerly giving his poor godfather half a heart attack as he slid down the banister with a whoop. Maybe he shouldn't have shown him that the first day here? Hadrian made a mental note to get Kreacher to accident-proof it with elf magic. Teddy landed securely on both feet and ran over giggling as his socked feet sliding on the smooth marble floor.

Hadrian grinned, patting the cushion in front of him and instructed him to sit down cross-legged. He then reached into the box beside him pulled out two crystal balls that were the magical equivalent of the now worldwide known muggle Christmas bauble. "Did your grandma ever show you how to light them up?"

Teddy shook his head, eyes wide as he was handed one of the precious spheres, holding it almost reverently in his cupped hands.

"Then I'll show you," he declared with a smile. "Now watch closely; you cup your hands around it then close your eyes and feel deep inside you for the warmth in your chest, just by your heart. What you do next is instinctive and so it's a little different for everyone, but I imagine it in my mind like a ball of water like a small liquid sun and touch it so it ripples and a small stream splits off, which I then guide through the blood, down the arms and into the sphere." As he said that the crystal filled with a glow as if it was injected by an almost mist-like florescent liquid. The whole orb lit up in a soft glow of green and gold causing Teddy to gasp in awe and instinctively reach out to touch it, marvelling at the pleasant tingling as his fingertips made contact.

"It's warm." The boy marvelled, enthralled.

Hadrian smiled and hung it on a lower branch beside them. "It's magic. Now you."

It took Teddy a few tries until he managed to direct some sparks into the orb but Hadrian was far from disappointed, on the opposite he was proud; this was an age old sly trick purebloods used to teach their children to connect to and expand their magical cores. An important arcane tradition was even more practiced and revered in the Noble House of Black than all others. Black Family Magic was potent and wild, a testament of their past as the most feared warriors and assassins throughout magical history, an early grasp on their magic was a necessity for every Black to avoid nasty accidents the moment their famed temper arose. Being one of – if not even the most – high-ranking House in Britain the Blacks had long since learned to conceal their talents from those outside the family, be it their potent magic, their unparalleled warding skills or their overwhelming talent at transfiguration that insured all were animagi and many could change their skin as easily as others robes. Politically minded as they were, they knew to keep their secrets up their sleeves, only to be revealed to those oathbound or those that were soon silenced forever.

So yes anything that gave their scions a headstart on controlling there magic was highly valued especially for those of their number that had inherited the Family Gift.

Having read the journals of past Lords of House Black, Hadrian had found out that Tonks was far from the only one born a metamorphagus, as was publicly believed; there was always at least one per generation that showed at least some talent, that information just never left the confines of the closer family. He had not been surprised to find out that the infamous Cassiopeia Black was a full fledged metamorphagus, how else had she managed to secure blackmail on _everyone,_ even the most cautious?

Cassiopeia Black was a veritable master at using any and every advantage, and had taken her gift even a step further, pushing it's perceived limits and developing farther than any before her until she had her own aging within her grasp. Despite what the wider world believed; the woman with the epithet of Black Dread behind closed doors, was far from stepping foot into the grave that bore her name in a wizarding cementry in France. No the old cunning bat simply adopted on a new name and face.

He was going to make sure that Teddy followed her footsteps and would be just as skilled as her – even if that meant putting himself at her mercy and begging the old canny shrew to tutor him for some months every year – and it all started with keeping to the Black traditions.

He didn't know what had gone wrong that Andromeda had abandoned the teachings; didn't she know their importance, or simply not have the means due to her disinheritance?

It mattered not, he was going to make sure Teddy had all the benefits; he was going to turn him into a **true** Black, as he deserved, and not a circus attraction to amuse his peers.

Teddy, being the talented and bright boy that he was, lit up his own orb with a little of guidance and minimal nudges needed.

"I did it! I did it! I did it daddy!" Teddy exclaimed shoving the ball of iridescent black-ish purple in his face. Hadrian grinned and steadied the cheering boy lest he drop it, ruffling his hair affectionately as it cycled through all colours of the rainbow in his exuberance.

"Well done. Now put in the tree."

Teddy scrambled up and almost reverently tied it to the small branch, grinning when he saw his crystal orb throw it's glow about causing it to refract from the tinsels of gold. "So pretty."

"It's different to yours"

"Yes with practice you can manipulate your magic to show different aspects and different colours if you concentrate." He pointed at Teddy's, "This is proof of you being a true Black with strong connection to the family magics, the black base colour our family was named after and that changing shine it twinkling like stars showing the fluidity of the family gift." Teddy looked at it with awe. "The better you get at it the denser the magic, and you can pull in the different colours," Hadrian smiled, taking another crystal ornament, this time shaped like an apple, and with a twist on his magic, saw it fill with a fiery red.

Teddy 'ooh'ed in wonder.

"You, especially, should have a talent for it." Hadrian commented. "Now come, there is an entire box to do, we have a big tree we can't just cover with tinsel."

It was an afternoon spent in front of a roaring fire and laughter and giggles floating about the halls of the house as they brought the Yule spirit alive. The 15 foot monstrosity of a tree was transformed into a festive work of art, alight with their combined magic. Teddy cheering loudly as Hadrian transformed into his crow form and crowned the tree with the glowing star. The boy giggling as the crow landed in the unruly nest of blue hair and began nesting playfully atop his head.

"Da-Uncle Harry!"

Teddy shrieked in laughter, having crow-Hadrian release a series of cackling caws that counted as laughter in this form. Tugging a last time at a strand of rebellious hair, he hopped off and, with a swirl of black, landed back on two human feet.

Calling Missy, Hadrian conjured a large comfy armchair with a small coffee table on each side with a wave of his hand, requesting a large plate of their nut biscuits and two hot chocolates. Before Teddy could move he was grabbed round the middle and twirled around before they fell back onto the armchair, Teddy securely on his godfathers lap.

"Teddy you do know that

"Did you know there are children that have three parents rather than just two?"

"Like Jamila? Her mom is married to two men, so she has two dads." Hadrian didn't imagine the small note of envy that snuck into Teddy's tone or the petulant pout on his lips.

"Yes, there are different ways too. I have three parents too." Teddy's head shot up in surprise at that, and Hadrian nodded at the surprised look. "Not many people know, but I have two dads too. Although different than your friend Jamila." Hadrian ignored the petulant mutter of 'she's not my friend' and continued seamlessly, "Lily and James Potter are my birth parents but, when I was still a small baby, Uncle Sirius decided he loved me far more than a godson and he used a secret potion to adopt me as his son making me his true son and Heir."

"Do you know why I'm telling you this?" Teddy shook his head, white teeth nibbling on his lip anxiously as he refused to meet the steady gaze of the one he too wished he could call father. Hadrian wasn't having any of that and gently put a finger under the small chin and guided the face up until green met amber. "I think of you as my son."

"But-! Grandma said you're not my dad..."

Sometimes he cursed that obstinate woman. Hadrian understood that she was adamant about preserving her daughter's memory but hearing that heartbreaking little voice did not excuse that in his mind. Apart from him, Teddy never had any other regular male influence in his life other than the questionable one of Malfoy, who she only reluctantly allowed under duress of her sister. Andromeda had been far too restricting and it was a wonder Teddy was allowed any friends at all, he still remembered that she would have denied him the chance of attending the newly installed magical primary schools if he hadn't brought the full brunt of Head of House down on her. "I may not be the one who married your mom and was blessed with you, but that doesn't mean I love you any less, because I love you very much.

"I know exactly what it's like having no parents growing up, to not have a true parent that shares blood with you and you can look at and say, this is my mom or this is my dad and look in a face that has the same nose or chin I do or the exact same eyes. At your age there was nothing I wished for more than to able to have that even if it was just for one day." Hadrian confessed sadly looking into those big teary eyes as tears rolled down that heartbreaking little face. Yes this was only something another orphan who never knew their parents could truly understand; second hand stories and anecdotes were never enough, friendship never quelling the deep longing for belonging...

"I understand." Hadrian intoned softly, wiping away the tears from the plump reddened cheeks. "I understand; so while you were sleeping, I talked with the goblins and they gave me a very special potion." There was a pop and Kreacher appeared with the small wooden box bowing out as soon ass he had handed it over. It was always creepy when he did that, making it obvious the elf had been eavesdropping.

"This one?"

"Yes this one." he opened it and showed the delicate flask cushioned inside the liquid within a mesmerizing mix of gold and pearly white.

"W-what does it do?"

"If I add a few drops of my blood and you drink it, it will make you my son in all ways." Teddy's head shot up from staring at the potion to stare at him his hair turning electric blue and standing on ends at thte jolt that went through the small body at his words. "Your mom and dad will still be your parents but I will biologically be your dad making you have three parents instead of two."

"Really?" Teddy sobbed flinging his thin arms about Hadrian's neck and crawling fully into his lap.

"I would be honoured to have you as my son." Hadrian told him firmly hugging the shaking body to him tightly. That fierce declaration brought forth even more sobs, but those were the kind he didn't mind as they were filled with nothing but relief.

"Silly Teddy, you are my family. You know; Family is everything,"

"-And you don't abandon family even if they are crazy." Teddy finished the words that he had heard millions of times, a small grin working his way on his face as he wiped his face with his sleeve.

"You've been warned. As my son you'll never _ever_ get rid of me no matter how old you get or how bonkers I turn." He gave Teddy a mock serious look that got a watery giggle out of him. "So still feel like doing this?"

"Yes!" Teddy nodded eagerly, small fists clenching. Tightening his grip on his soon-to-be son, Hadrian bent the wards around them and dropped down below to the ritual room in the basement that was about to see it's first use. Fitting that it was for the one he had built the entire Manor in the first place, he couldn't think of a worthier christening for it. As he'd intended to perform the blood adoption ritual from the start everything was already set and all he had to do was to pour the potion into the chalice at the centre of the rune circle and add his blood.

Hadrian set Teddy on his feet and directed him to stand in the centre before carefully handing him the chalice, it's rough obsidian form seeming far too big and heavy in the small hands. "Now since we already have blood and family ties through the Blacks, all you need to do is drink the potion and the ambient magic of the circle does the rest, but since you are older than the most and actually able of verbal consent the ritual is stronger if we elaborate a bit and have you acknowledge the intent verbally first."

The intelligent young mind listened to his instructions in silence, unless dutifully repeating the dictated words, intent not to mess this up.

Teddy was so nervous he thought his heart would jump out of his chest. Not once relaxing his grip on the potion filled stone cup, no matter how heavy it grew in his hands, Teddy watched with an unwavering gaze as Hadrian magiced a small cut onto his finger and counted seven drops into the chalice below, the red mixing in with the light golds and whites, turning the mixture a solid molten gold not unlike that of the Felix Felicis.

"Now as we practiced."

Hadrian slid his palms over Teddy's hands, skin on skin, cupping them and supporting him as they stood in the ritual circle that lip up at the focused intent.

With a last nod from his godfather, Teddy took a deep breath and proclaimed his intent putting as much of his feelings in it as he could.

"With the partaking of your blood I accept you as my Father."

Then he drained the potion as quickly as he could as his wish was finally about to be granted.

There was no dramatic effects, no blinding lights or magical explosions, the only visible effect being Teddy falling unconscious the moment the last drop of potion passed his lips. Hadrian leapt forward and scooped his new son up, handing off the chalice to the newly appeared Kreacher. "Scour it thoroughly so there are no potion remnants and tell Missy that dinner will be an hour late."

"Yes, Master Hadrian."

Gathering the sleeping boy in his arms, he carried him back upstairs to let him sleep the effects off, all the while wondering how much Teddy's natural appearance will change as the potion worked it's magic while he slept.

His chest warmed as he looked down at the little face and his arms tightened instinctively; He had a son now.

* * *

 **Chapter 16 done! Next chapter we'll see Hadrian's dreads come true; Carol coming along on her first of many many unannounced visits. Also the first time she gets to see her 'grandson'.**

 **And OMG! 100 Reviews! *squeel* The first hundred are always the most special and the first time I reached it! Thank you to all those who took the time to answer especially those who did so nearly every chapter (Talking to you here IrisTurner) Hopefully there will be many more! Now on to the review answers;**

 **PersephoneTheQueen;** _The thing with Elijah is I never really liked him until the Originals, it was only then he turned truly badass. Before that he kept conspiring with the same people who literally stabbed him in the back (twice!) and the only time he was badass with trapping Elena, he goes and turns all overly remorseful when, in my opinion, he had no need to. No worries for Elijah fans though I already have plans of breaking him out of that bad habit and bring out his pure awesome earlier_.

 **RebeliousOne;** _There is no true Harry Potter story without our cute Teddy, I couldn't leave him out of the fun not when Hadrian can get so deliciously over the top protective. As for the attackers; it's enough to say that he kept them alive long long after they started wishing for death, next chapter there will be some info on their identities/motives._

 **APridefulSin;** _Thank you._

 **AnimeFreak71777;** XD

 **LuckyNumber1;** _Oh yes that news will spread like wildfire with certain opinionated individuals unwisely opening their traps and paying dearly for it. As mentioned Hadrian is going to be a very protective new father._

 **qwertypous;** _I did put the warning up for the slash scene right at the start of the chapter in **bold, i** t's not my fault you didn't read the warnings, I put them there for a reason. I didn't put Slash in the story summary because  
a) I had enough trouble fitting my summary in the limited word count without wasting 5 spaces.  
b) this isn't a purely slash story. Hadrian is B, as in he bat's for both teams and doesn't care what they have under their clothes as long as they're attractive.  
If I had labeled this slash a lot of people would have complained about the het as well as the lack of more slashy scenes. So I'll keep putting the warnings at the start of each chapter._

 _ **Mrsiri;** Just gotta love Kitty Kat, she's so totally unapologetic lol._

 _ **Kyuubi Kuroba;** Yes parental Harry is awesome! especially if he's the touch-my-kid-and I'll-blow-you-up-before-you-can-blink type lol I agree with you on the Kathrine department. Those two will have more of a fling that develops into platonic friendship, if someone needs a dose of Harry friendship it is the hardened survivour on the run since 500 years.I love Joseph Morgan he's hilarious and I'm hoping to let a bit off his character flow into Klaus later. Yes the Mikaelsons (sans Finn and Mikael) are heavens gift to us and standing against them is a capital sin, that's why Elena and co should pray the devil will have mercy because I won't being so mean to my Klaus and Killing Kol!_

 _ **MattKennedy;** Thank you. I think Carol is so undervalued in most cases and Tyler too, while is is a jerk sometimes he also has so much potential for more that he was never allowed to develop since he was either kept in the dark, pushed to the side, or had to run, never truly belonging with the group and little support. It was easy to have him interact and befriend Harry with him not constantly hanging around with Elena's lot. With Harry there I'm hoping to bring out all he has to offer, including his true potential as werewolf and you can bet Hadrian won't allow him to treat Carol like Elena did cannon-Jenna._


	18. 17 Invading Visitors & Territorial Cubs

**_Disclaimer; Not mine!_**

 ** _Longer than usual chapter ahead. I hope you enjoy it!_**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 17;  
_ Of Invading Visitors and Territoral Cubs**

 ** _Thursday 18th December, 2009_**

"Hadrian! It's so good to see you back. It's been dull without you here."

Carol enveloped him in a hug as soon as he opened the front door. Pushing him an arm length away, she looked him up and down with an assessing gaze, before smiling at him brightly and looking over his shoulder inquiringly. "Now where is that cute godson you have told me so much about? I brought some cupcakes for the sweetie." She looked around as if expecting him to be hiding around the corner, and Hadrian was slightly scared for his son at the glint in her eyes.

"He's taking a nap." Just like he had been doing happily, three minutes ago, snuggled into the pillows of his 1001 Nights lounge before the ping in his wards had awoken him so rudely. "I'm afraid I thoroughly tired him out this morning." Yes boundless energy or not, replanting bouncing bulbs was always a pain, especially when they were fresh and feeling exuberant… Hadrian was just glad that he used magical unbreakable glass or his new conservatory would be rather …holey. Not advisory when it was winter and he'd converted the inside to accommodate a more tropical climate.

Bidding Carol inside, he watched amused as she instantly flitted about the entrance hall, marvelling over the sweeping stairs, the ginormous marble and obsidian fireplace and in particular, the behemoth of Christmas tree that was glowing and sparkling in all it's glory.

"Holy virgin Mary!" she breathed, freezing in place as she stared at the tree. Yes that was a Black Yule Tree, an object of awe, beauty, and power... unparalleled in the world, the only splendour that could come close was that of the Malfoys but that didn't count since the moment Narcissa _Black_ married in. He could practically see the usual impeccable woman drool as she took in the details and original ornaments that she had never seen the likes of.

" **No**." Hadrian denied with finality the moment she whirled around and opened her mouth.

"You didn't even let me ask." Carol gave him a pout, moving on to examining other features of the room, but she didn't fool him, he knew she was far from giving up.

"Marvelous!" She praised admiring the vintage wrought iron coat stand as she hung up her coat and scarf, "And the craftsmanship! This larger than the Salvatore boarding house!"

"Of course," Hadrian scoffed, "they don't have a Gym, dojo, or indoor pool," nor the multiple potion labs, reinforced duelling rooms, a second gigantic magical library, or a proper high security dungeon with the twelve cells constructed to hold any and every kind of human and creature – except maybe a dragon, but nothing stopped a fully grown dragon, so that was a moot point. "Neither do they have a conservatory."

"Oh yes you have such a talent with plants that orchid you gave me for my birthday is still in stunning bloom and is always the envy of every woman. Agatha Applebee was foaming at the mouth when they were the talk of the bookclub. The unpleasant woman never missed an opportunity to regale us with the prizes her flowers won her, but this year! This year, I snagged first place right from under her too large nose!"

Hadrian had to smile at her gleeful expression as her eyes glinted with vindication.

At least his time at the Dursely's had been good for something. Not only had he developed a talent in cooking that eclipsed many a professional cook, if others ravings could be believed, but after so many hours working the garden since he could barely stand he was blessed with a green thumb that saw all flowers and plants in his care flourish. He suspected magic in both cases, even when such a word had still been foreign to him and he was driven by the sole desire to do his best, to get some kind of acknowledgement and avoid punishment – not that it ever worked.

Still the skills were now a part of him and he had the satisfaction of seeing his freshly planted plants grow with a vigour that was usually reserved for especially stubborn weeds every garden owner cursed.

Unplanned and uninvited or not, he had a guest that wasn't going to leave anytime soon, so he assumed his role as gracious host and offered Carol a tour of the property. At her polite acceptance that barely concealed the exuberance from his sharp eyes, he lead Carol through his newly built manor that already had the air that made it seem that it had always been nestled in the meadow, it helped that he had completely avoided any of those modern, edgy designs that seemed to be gaining popularity in the muggle world but he found ugly and cold, fit for an office but never a home. Listening to Carol waxing poetically about some of the details he believed he had made the right choice.

Hadrian very carefully did **not** show her the Ballroom, sending a surreptitious not-me-not at the huge oak double doors – he really _had_ to make the entrance that large and ostentatious, hadn't he? – he could live without her suggesting holding an event in his home every few months thank-you-very-much. He may have come to love the woman like a mother, but his sanity was more important.

There was enough to show her as it was, even with all the magical rooms and entire corridors inaccessible to her as the were concealed by wards or doors completely shifted into non-existence as they approached, as was the case when Hadrian led her through the complicated maze up to the family floor when she insisted on seeing his en suite bathroom for herself.

She gasped when she stepped inside, her hand flying to her mouth in astonishment.

"Hadrian dear remind me to contract you the next time I remodel the Lockwood estate." The woman breathed, completely in love. Hadrian resisted the urge preen at that very high praise coming from the woman with iron grip when it came to the going ons in her house. A digital camera quickly appeared in her hand and she started snapping away like a paparazzi at the prospect of a nipple slip, focusing on the five person glass shower with its long strip of rain shower heads integrated into the ceiling, and enough natural light from large windows that had women melt, but the crowning jewel was the bathtub, that barely classified as such it was a small round pool in an alcove surrounded by large picture windows on 3/4 of the circumference and two ornate marble columns, intricate moldings and wrought iron candelabra at intervals… As if that wasn't enough there was even a skylight where one would be able to watch the stars at night.

…It was a bath fit for royalty. And she wanted one.

* * *

In his office Richard Lockwood suddenly felt a chill travel down his spine and he whirled around to see …nothing. With goosebumps on his arms, he cautiously let his eyes swivel around half expecting his wife to storm into the doors with an idea that would cost him thousands.

He relaxed when there was no movement even after a several long minutes and sat back down and went back to his work. Yet no matter the effort, the Mayor couldn't find his peace but forced himself to continue his paperwork anyway, uneasily shifting about every few seconds. The poor man just couldn't shake this sense of impending doom… and that so close to Christmas.

* * *

"Now, maybe I can entertain you with some fine British tea and some homemade biscuits?" Hadrian proposed as they finished touring the more public rooms and the guest wing where she had been full of enthusiasm in offering ideas for the unfinished rooms. If he didn't know better he would think she was getting ready to set up a room for herself.

"That would be wonderful, you always work magic in the kitchen."

"Ah but this time I had a little helper, Teddy helped me bake and glaze them." He pointed out as he lead her to a back down to a ground floor parlour that had a large window seat and double glass doors facing the inner patio with it's frozen motionless fountains - one of which sported an impressive five foot icicle where the subzero temperatures had conquered mid-spray. A steaming pot of tea and a multi-tiered tray with biscuits and the muffins Carol brought already stood ready at the small circular rosewood table. He graciously pulled out a chair for the mayors wife before seating himself and pouring them a cup of the finest Earl Grey.

Carol smiled pleased. "Such a wonderful bond you two have. I used to get Tyler to bake with me every weekend, before he got wrapped up in his sports and friends." Carol sighed despondently.

"Well you're his mother, I'm sure he would be unable to deny you the joy of spending an afternoon together baking like old times, he may think it's well hidden he's got a sweet tooth a mile wide."

Carol laughed. "He's just like Richard like that, both of my men have bottomless stomachs, I always have to bake to cakes for my get-togethers, one as a decoy and the other hidden in the cupboard in the drawing room. No cake survives to see the next day with those two in the house otherwise."

Carol confessed drawing a chuckle from Hadrian.

 **-)§(-**

Teddy woke up in his big fluffy bed, a smile on his lips as he took in his new room that was so much bigger and more perfect than his old one, and it had lots of purple! Everywhere, the curtains, his bed, the carpet even the wooden floor! It was so cool and made him smile even brighter as he knew it had all been made for him, every single thing in the _entire_ room was bought and put there for him. All except the dark purple and scratched old chest that stood beside his bed with it's lamp that he loved, it had _always_ been beside his bed and had been his moms, and Teddy knew daddy had put it there for him because he knew how much he loved it.

He had liked his old room and living with his Grandma, but Grandma was always weird when he asked her to change things in his room even if it was just a bigger shelf as the one his mom had was too small for the many books Grandma Cissy and daddy had bought him. Here daddy had painted an entire forest on his walls just because he told him his secret about loving to sneak from the school playground and sit quietly with his book in the wood on the other side of the fence. With a grin Teddy let himself fall back again and rolled around with a giggle, pressing his face into the cushions and breathing in the familiar scent of his daddy Harry, the scent thickly intertwined with his and clinging to the whole surface making him remember the long evenings daddy Harry told him about all his adventures.

A daddy… he finally had a daddy!

Not just an uncle or godfather but a true dad who loved him and would always be there for him. And it wasn't just anyone but his favourite person in the world!

Teddy had never been as happy as when he woke up after the ritual and saw his daddy waiting for him, right by his side. The small proud smile on his face had made his heat beat fast and his chest grow really hot. Then he'd run to his mirror and saw, that even without using his gift, he looked like Harry now; his hair was no longer brown but just as black and wild like that of Harry making him look so cool. And his face had changed too! He couldn't tell what, but it was there by his cheeks and chin, he looked much more like pictures he saw of a younger Harry, something about his chin. But the change Teddy like best were his eyes; although they were still amber they now had a green ring around them and lots of tiny pieces of it in his old colour, they looked so pretty, almost as pretty as daddy's.

He loved the change, he looked in the mirror and saw Hadrian Potter's son standing there, and not Teddy who lost his parents and lived with his Grandma. Now he didn't have to lock his room and use his gift to make himself look like Harry so he could pretend that he was his daddy, he knew it was a very bad and naughty thing to do, Grandma had said so when she caught him once. She had been very mad and sent him to bed without dinner after making him promise never to do it again -

But Teddy lied. He did it again and again, making sure no one ever saw.

\- and she wouldn't let him have Harry's letters for two weeks! That was the worst. He always waited every morning after breakfast at the window to see if Hedwig came with another letter from Harry, hoping every time it was with the news that he would come visit again.

Harry always brought him very interesting presents that everyone was jealous of like that small dragon toy from China that was truly like a Chinese fireball and not like those animated figurines he saw in the shops in Diagon Alley, this one was warm and breathed and could spit small balls of real flame and did so at Eric when he tried to steal it from him because he got jealous. He got in trouble for that, but he didn't mind, it was Erics fault, but never took anymore of Harry's presents to school. Teddy didn't like it when everyone touched his presents from Harry, that's why he always waited with opening Harry's birthday presents until last when it was dark and all the others were gone. Last year he had gotten the best present in the world; a two way mirror just like the one Uncle Sirius and Uncle James had, but this one was just for Harry and him. It was in a big locket that only he could open so he could wear it around his neck and always carry it with him. Since then he could talk to Harry however much he wanted.

But he liked it now more, now his wish had finally come true and they lived together in one house and spent all day together doing many fun things a dad and son did together.

Kreacher had told him daddy built this whole house just for the two of them to live together, he loved the big rooms he could run in as much as he wanted with the many big windows and daddy's moving drawings everywhere making it even more special and said he could try painting something on a wall too after he practiced ad Teddy was looking forward to it and had started practicing. He also filled it with so many interesting new things from all over the world that he bought while he travelled, there was so many things to explore…

Living together with a real dad was even better than he had ever have imagined.

He was still very sad that Grandma was gone now and was still scared of the floo, but now that he had daddy Harry it was all better. He was Lord Hadrian Potter-Black's son now, he had to be brave and be just as strong as him.

Thinking of his new dad Teddy sprang from his bed and to the door, before pausing midway, doing a U-turn and into the bathroom to check himself in the mirror. Straightening his jumper, pulling his thick woollen socks back up properly, and running a hand through his messy hair he gave an approving nod to his reflection, before running from his rooms with a toothy grin, intent on finding his daddy.

Teddy froze as he heard someone laugh, someone that was not his dad.

Curious green-golden eyes turned black as they narrowed. With suspicion Teddy crept closer, approaching much more carefully now. There it was again; a woman's voice talking to his dad; why was there someone in their home? It was no ones birthday and no one else lived here. "Kreacher." Teddy called in a whisper jumping at the immediate 'pop' beside him. "What can Kreacher be doing for young master?"

"Who is that with daddy?"

"That being filthy muggle that master has taken a liking to." Teddy gasped in dismay. He knew what that meant; she was trying to get his daddy to like her so he would marry her and make him send Teddy away and forget all about him. No! Harry was his dad! He wouldn't give him up to a nasty stepmother.

Only a week and he already had to defend his dad from nasty thieves. He needed a plan, but first... information.

Teddy turned to the waiting house elf, "Tell me more." He demanded.

 **-)§(-**

Hadrian perked up slightly when he felt the ward he had around Teddy break alerting him of the end of his nap. His lips pulling into a slight smile at the thought of the boy he could now call son. He had never seen himself as such a young father - and yes 29 was young for a wizard that didn't live in a war or was pressured to carry on the family name, not that they didn't try, throwing their daughters at him left and right pumped full with fertility potions. Ugh. the stuff of nightmares - Strangely with Teddy, it just sort of clicked. He was far too smart and cute not to love, one look into those shifting eyes of his and he had been a goner.

That those eyes had become only more mesmerising with his own emerald mixed within was a tidbit he hoped Teddy would take a long time to figure out, if he pulled out the dreaded puppy eyes with those he would be unstoppable. Definitely. not a fact he was eager to share with his devious minded angel.

Where there was once Edward Lupin there was now Teodred Callisto Black, he still kept the nickname as Teddy though, it suited the boy with the button nose and fluffy hair.

He felt a bit guilty at not only taking Remus's place as his father but now even changing the name the couple had picked for their son - had Andy still been alive she would have come after him curses flying and wand blazing - but it was simply safer if the world believed that Teddy Lupin son of Remus Lupin died during that attack four years ago by that ghastly decaying curse that nearly did take his life.

That Teddy was also obviously pleased about the change helped, he'd seen him with the astrology books researching his name origins and practicing writing it over and over.

"Aww look at you being such a doting and protective godfather."

"Father." Hadrian corrected automatically.

"I thought he was your godson, not your son." Carol frowned knowing that to be true and from what she knew of their ages; it was impossible for the boy to be biologically Hadrian's, their age difference was far too small.

"He was until a few days ago. For his safety, I adopted him as legally mine and gave him a new name."

"Oh lets hear it." Carol demanded eagerly. Yes he had to be careful that she didn't leave with any suspicious bundles tonight, lest he be short a son.

"Teodred Black."

"Teodred? Why not Theodore?"

Hadrian pointed at himself with his desert fork. "Landed aristocracy, the archaic traditional names come with the title. Besides, it's a bit of a warning to his future teachers; he really is going to be a dread. In classes he will bombard them with questions until they can't tell left from right and then as soon as they turn their back he'll get involved in all kinds of mischief with his cousin."

Carol laughed. "Tyler was like that at that age I couldn't take my eyes off him for a second or he'd be gone and embroiled in some kind of trouble." Carol shook her head her hand to her cheek, "He was such an active toddler, I learned to have eyes at the back of my head, just to keep up with him."

So it was Tyler's fault – he knew it! He couldn't wait to tease him about it, that same ability that he moaned and bitched about, and made it virtually impossible to sneak anything past his mother, was all his own doing. A sweet justice.  
That uncanny ability of hers had been lamented by her every helper, as the meticulous Carol Lockwood with her high standards saw _everything,_ and was not hesitant to come over and make you do it all again if she didn't like it. Seeing her minions choke in dismay was half the reason he was so willing to help Carol with her events.

Hadrian smiled as he saw the bright purple mop of hair peek around the door, glad he had the foresight to give Teddy the rune-bracelet that concealed any of his shifts and strangeness from muggles - including the muggle-vampires and those self-styled witches and Servants of Nature.

"Teddy, did you have a good nap?" he asked the boy drawing Carol's attentions, he had to suppress his smirk as he saw her visibly melt at the adorable picture Teddy's big eyes and shy form made.

Teddy nodded and dashed to his side scrambling up into his lap, thin arms wrapped around his middle.

He felt the tension in the smaller body and he wondered if it was still to early to introduce someone new to his son. Well it had not exactly been his intention but he couldn't change it now that they were both sat opposite each other. He could aleady see it was impossible to keep Carol away now, he hadn't even spoken a word and she was already enamoured.

"Oh Hadrian he looks just like you!"

"Yes, the family resemblance within the Black family has always been pronounced." Hadrian remarked offhandedly inwardly rather pleased with the results of the blood adoption, he hadn't expected the rush of warmth and protective feelings the moment Teddy's eyes opened and Hadrian saw a perfect mix of his emerald and Moony's amber staring up at him, they were so striking and fit his little boy perfectly.

Though Malfoy would probably murder him for passing on his Potter hair.

He buried his nose in said mop and relaxed as he reafirmed the changed scent or more accurately the absense of one particular one that Teddy had carried all his life until recently. It had been his hidden motive; to erase the prevalent scent (to an enhanced nose like that of werewolves or animagi like him) of Alpha werewolf from him. While Hadrian could still detect the faint scent of wolf clinging to Teddy but that was purely him, with the infusion of his genes, the distinct scent of Moony was gone and that was very important when he wanted the world to believe that Teddy Lupin was dead.

That had been his true motive behind the adoption, to him it didn't matter if Teddy was his blood-adopted son or not, he loved him like a son anyway he was family and his protection came first and foremost. Unfortunately the adoption _had_ been an imperative necessity.

There were many who held a grudge against his old professor even now that he was dead.

While Remus was a gentle soul, his work for the Order had made him many staunch enemies before the second war even began. From what he found out, during the first war Remus had expended all his effort into getting the werewolves on the Light side per Dumbledore's orders, being marginally successful at that with the promise of more acceptance and a better came Voldemort's Fall, by yours truly, and non of the promises made to the werewolf packs were kept, instead a toad like Umbridge rose to power and made life for them far worse, making them unable to keep a job and even forcing them out of their homes as they were treated as rabid beasts instead of people. None of it was Remus' fault and he suffered right along with them under the same laws, but it didn't matter to the betrayed packs. They had let him in their midst and were awed by the wolf that obviously fared much better than them that had gone to Hogwarts- a very distant wish that didn't even dream about - and had the trust of a powerful political figure, to some he was like Jesus reborn and they trusted him with all their hopes and dreams of a better life - only to be left with a worse lot. He couldn't even begrudge them their hatred, as there was no denying the fact that as kind as Remus had been; his actions had cost many werewolves their lives, intentionally or not.

What he couldn't forgive was turning that hate to the innocent Teddy. He had never expected them to turn their hate to Teddy, never the werewolves who saw children as even more sacred than the other magicals did. A cub was never harmed no matter their origin, it was an unspoken law since it was oft difficult for them to maintain their pregnancy and carry to term with their monthly forced transformations.

The attack had shown just how deep the hatred ran for them to ignore that, and he would not have Teddy subjected to it a second time; it was better for him to live his life as Teodred Callisto Black-Potter, Heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black and son of The-Boy-Who-Lived, The Chosen One, ect, ect and the other multitude of ridiculous titles that the adoring public had bequenthed him with, his personal favourite being the The-Boy-Who-Turned-Dark and the subsequent mass hysteria that _Daily Prophet_ issue had caused). The added attention and publicity the relation would garner him were a pain, but his little manipulative Slytherin already showed all signs of being able to play a crowd like a fiddle. If only he could spare him the fangirls... but other than making himself scarce, he had yet to find an effective counter for that particular breed of parasites.

"Teddy this is Carol Lockwood, she has helped me a lot since I moved here late spring." He told Teddy.

"Hello." Teddy intone shyly peaking up from between dark lashes.

"Carol this is my son, Teddy, that I told you about."

Carol noted address and was very curious of the further details but didn't comment with the little ears listening and instead smiled. "Oh he is such a handsome little man, I'm sure everyone will love him."

"I was afraid of that." Hadrian intoned dryly. "I will endeavour to delay exposing Teddy to those old biddies from the Mystic Falls Committee for as long as I can."

"Don't be like that, your son his far too cute to be hidden away in this huge house. I'm sure he would love getting out and meeting new people and children his own age. You can't lock him away just because you're being possessive."

Hadrian gave her a hard stare that developed into a discreet glaring match over the oblivious young head as neither budged.

"I like it at home, it's big and fun and we play all day." Teddy said sweetly, making Hadrian grin.

"Well you have to come to the Tree Lighting Ceremony. Everyone in Mystic Falls will be there it's tradition."

"Tree Lighting?" Teddy perked up.

"They decorate a big tree outside and have a party, it's not the same as ours." Hadrian explained quick to derail any extravagant ideas Teddy was getting, getting a disappointed 'oh' in response.

"Just a party," Carol huffed affronted. "It's far more than a party; it's an honoured tradition where the whole town comes together as a community to celebrate the spirit of Christmas, with fun, hot chocolate, stalls, booths and a big tree."

"Is the tree as big and pretty as ours?" Teddy asked tilting back to look up at him.

"No." Hadrian denied instantly ignoring Carol's sniff of protest. "We did such a good job I don't think there is a tree in the entire world that can match ours."

Teddy nodded, satisfied.

"Not everyone has those glowing LED Christmas ornaments and you refused to tell me the manufacturer of..." Carol sniffed still miffed that Hadrian had not been forthcoming, she already had the perfect centerpiece in mind that would simply look divine and outshine all those of the years before especially that piece of her mother-in-law that she still boasted about every year.

"That's because it's a family secret. I don't see you telling the Fells about your tailor despite their wheedling at at every opportunity."

"Of course not, the Fell's have been trying to usurp the Lockwoods as the premier Founder family for years, I will not tell them of the most talented tailor our family ever had."

At the mention of that Teddy perked up, "You know Monsieur LeBadour too?"

Hadrian paled at the mention of that name, his mind flashing to the terrible fate of his little safe haven should those two ever meet. Carol would try to stick in him in another period dress, he couldn't allow that! He had a reputation to keep for Teddy! Not to mention he was sure the little blabbermouth would tell Scorpious about it and then it would be only till the next meal before Malfoy found out and spread the news about. He was too trapped in his horrible nightmare of the end of his reputation and credibility, that he couldn't react soon enough to derail the train speeding straight towards his doom.

"Who's that dear?"

"The tailor of houses Black and Malfoy and the best in the word, everyone wants his services but we have priority since we're his sponsors. He tailored an entire new wardrobe for us three days ago." Dear Merlin it was like hearing an eleven year old Draco Malfoy he knew he was a bad influence. Malfoy was turning his sweet Teddy into a snob!

"You have your own tailor?" Carol inquired genially but Harry felt the razor sharp edges behind that placid smile she aimed at him.

"Of course. He made these for me." Teddy nodded superiorly, indicating his pure white cashmere jumper, the thick dark shorts that went to his mid thighs and the matching white socks that went up to an inch below that securely encased his legs in their warming charm infused warmth, not to forget the dirt and stain repelling runes heavily interwoven in every article, making the outfit perfectly acceptable for the cold weather but also heart-stoppingly cute. Needless to say Teddy would not be leaving the Manor dressed like that, no need to test the depth of human depravity and tempt the closet pedophiles.

"The tailor Carol was talking about specializes in authentic period clothes the type that people wore in this town 150 years ago not the type Monsieur LeBadour makes" - oh but Hadrian new the french miscreant was capable of it, he just wasn't masochistic enough to let that fact slip out - " Besides, he lives in France, that's very far from here and he refuses to cross the Atlantic because long flights don't agree with his constitution." He lied easily to pacify Carol's scheming gleam, noting with considerable relief as she abandoned whatever idea she had been hatching.

"That's too bad." she sighed in disappointment. "That means the poor man misses the New York Fashion Week."

"Yes he's inconsolable each year-" Hadrian broke off and glanced at his phone sighing in frustration as he saw the caller ID, now they call! "Excuse me but this is a call I have to take."

He shifted Teddy off his lap and stood up, he didn't want to leave the two alone in the room but he had been waiting for that call. Well Kreacher was no doubt eavesdropping as was his habit, he would intervene if it was necessary.

* * *

Teddy watched as his dad walked out of the room talking with the curious muggle thing that he told them muggles now used as phones, phones were no longer machines on a cable but were small and carried around wherever they went. Teddy still thought his two-way mirror pendant was far superior.

Now alone with the woman he turned to her and paid her the courtesy his Grandma and Grandma Cissy taught him, before sitting on his own chair.

"My name is Teodred Callisto Black, Hadrian's son." Teddy introduced himself properly, straight-backed and serious, his obvious resemblance to Hadrian on full display with the tilt of his head, using everything to put Grandma Cissy's lessons to use.

"Such a gentleman!" Carol exclaimed totally enamoured not noticing the steely glare hidden in those wide innocent eyes. Of course he was he was doing everything uncle Draco said to subtly show the plebeian her place. She would never be good enough for his daddy, she could act nice to him all she wanted, he wasn't falling for it.

"Hadrian did such an excellent job raising you, such a cutie. You can call me Grandma Carol dear."

"Grandma?" This wasn't what Teddy expected, in all those books he read the daddy robbing monsters had always insisted upon being called _mother_. She was a bit old but he heard those were especially dangerous because they had ' _experience'_ , they must have taken away many daddies. Now Teddy was confused but he hid it behind his teacup like Uncle Dray and Grandma Cissy had shown him, never show weakness.

"Yes since your daddy moved here I saw him as a second son, he get's along so well with my son Tyler, it's good for Tyler to have another friend his age."

Wait Tyler was old? Teddy had been jealous thinking another boy had tried to take his place while he was still stuck asleep with the goblins. Teddy suddenly felt lighter as his quick mind finally understood.

But he had to check.

"May I see a picture of him?" Teddy asked looking up at the woman who may or may not be a daddy-snatcher, tilting his head cutely.

Carol beamed, her heart missing a beat at the picture of angelic precociousness. Her hands shook with the need to hug the little boy to her he was just too cute! But she thought better of it Hadrian had said the poor dear was still recovering from the attack on him and his grandmother. Instead she gladly granted his request and pulled her wallet from her purse, flipping it open to show the slotted photos of her boy. "This is Tyler when he was just little older than you, this one was when he won 1st place in the Junior League, and this last one is him beside his father at the Founders Ball this September. Isn't he handsome?"

She asked but Teddy didn't hear her as he focused on another detail. "That's his dad?"

"Yes that's Richard, my husband and the Mayor of this town." She pointed at another unmoving photo that was just her and the man arm in arm.

Teddy relaxed; she had a husband that was still alive. She wasn't here to take his daddy from him. He needed to make sure to tell Kreacher to pay better attention to details in the future.

He glanced up at the happy woman still talking about her son and husband and felt bad for thinking all these bad things about her. Teddy resolved to be nice to her and handed her one of the biscuits he had decorated himself.

 **-)§(-**

Hadrian came back to a happily talking Teddy and Carol, Teddy munching happily on those muffins Carol brought, and felt relieved. A moment there he'd thought Teddy didn't like her, but it seemed it was just the initial shyness. Both turned and smiled as they saw him. "Now isn't this a nice welcome. I hope I don't have to worry about you making off with my Teddy, do I, Carol?"

No no I'll be happy to see him tomorrow."

"That's goo- wait what do you mean tomorrow?"

"I told Teddy about the stall I set aside for you two, where you can sell your delicious Christmas cookies."

"…A stall?! We'll need a ton of baked goods for that!" Hadrian exclaimed feebly, feeling faint just imagining the elephant portions he had seen some of these American women devoured when he baked before at that horrid summer event, they had fallen on his trays like a pack of starving hyenas on an wounded antelope.

It's good that the day is till long and you have such a talented helper Carol patted Teddy's unruly hair and stood up gathering her handbag and coat. "Well I'll better go and leave you to it everyone's already looking forward to tasting your cooking again. I can see myself out." With a wave of her fingers she was gone.

Hadrian stared after her stupefied.

"I like her!" Teddy grinned, eyeing up the platter of muffins before selecting another one and biting into it with relish.

* * *

 _A massive chapter! But the reviews had me so pumped my fingers just kept moving! Let's just call it the Easter special lol The chapter went differently than I'd planned but Teddy just completely developed a life of his own there, gone was the shy Teddy and hello devious little angel. I'm blaming **BirdyChirp** here, it was their review that did it; I just had to turn Teddy into a territorial werewolf cub lol_

 _Thank you again for all those that favourited , followed and reviewed!_

 **RebeliousOne;** _Yes that was my thought too, Metamorphmagus is such a boon in the cutthroat world of pureblood politics I can't believe such a political and powerful house would give away their advantage that easily. In my mind Family Magics and talents are closely guarded family secrets.  
_ _As for the question of Harry and the Weasleys; Hadrian's Hogwarts years were cannon to a certain point and the Golden Trio played it's prominent role, but where exactly the changes are and what they are will be revealed later on in the story so I won't spoil it now. I can say he has been deliberately taking a break from Britain and did not tell anyone he stopped his travelling to actually settle down because that would just destroy the peaceful bubble he has going on in Mystic Falls._

 **BirdyChirp;** _I hope you liked the chapter since you so heavily inspired it n.n The image of a cute possessive Teddy was just too funny for me not to give it a shot._

 **Pupstarstar;** _It's the Mystery person! You can usually tell when it's 'them' because I go to great lengths to keep to gender neutral pronouns to keep up the mystery, which is harder than one would think when I can't use 'it' either!_

 **Aliana . Gabriella .winchester.17;** _Oh yes overprotective Hadrian is a must and after the scare he had it's also plausible so I'm going to wring it for all it's worth as it's always amusing._

 _ **Estriella;** You make me blush! Praise me more, Ican listen all day lol_

 **IrisTurner;** _Yes Andi was very hung up on the proper familial roles. The stress of war, the trauma of it all and losing her husband and Tonks death... it hit her very hard, making her cling to the only thing left to her, her grandson Teddy. She wasn't abusive nor did she actively deny Hadrian contact with Teddy, she just went a bit bonkers when it came to the thought of losing him. She really did love Teddy but in this case she saw him more as an extension of her daughter rather than the individual he was. Well she's dead now so it doesn't matter much anymore.  
Exactly! That's the attraction of the thought of Kol and Hadrian, all that possible chaos has me salivating!_

 _ **MattKennedy;** So true! It always annoyed me how the scooby-gang were always so quick to condemn others with how dirty their own hands were, their to go to for any newcomer was to try to kill them. Messed up the lot of them. Though I have to agree with Enzo; the worst is the Stefan hypocrisy; no matter his sins or murders he is always forgiven while others are condemned...makes me wanna stake him._


	19. 18 Mystic Falls, Meet Teodred Callisto B

**Disclaimer; Nor Vampire Diaries or Harry Potter is mine.**

* * *

 **Chapter 18;**

 **Mystic Falls, meet Teodred Callisto Black**

 ** _Saturday 19_** ** _th_** ** _December, 2009_**

Hadrian thanked all gods and the ingenious sod who invented warming charms as he drove down the quiet streets, otherwise he may have lost his nose and ears. Beside him Teddy was having the time of his life, giggling into his scarf as his gloved hand reaching high in the sky as she tried to catch the snowflakes as the sped past, not getting very far with his short arms, strapped onto the booster seat as he was.

Driving into the more traversed roads as they neared the school, they were target of many stares and this time it was not because his treasure of a car was the envy of all, no it was because they had to be the only one in the entire state stupid enough to drive around with the roof down in December. No surprise there. With temperatures dropping to -4C everyone but the Blacks had their roofs and windows firmly sealed shut and the heaters cranked up.

Curse devious sons with far too much enthusiasm… and 'puppy dog' eyes, one can't forget those accursed things. It was as if every time he looked into them he got stupider.

There was another giggle beside him as Teddy tried catching a snowflake and it landed on his nose, causing Teddy to do an excellent ' _bewitched'_ nose wriggle. Well as long as Teddy enjoyed it...

And enjoy it he did. Amber emerald flecked eyes were wide as they darted around as the drew closer to the local High school where the event was being held his mouth working fast and barely breathing as he badgered Hadrian with hundred questions a minute ranging from the other muggle cars to decorations to the phones. It reminded Hadrian that Teddy had been in healing stasis for several years and more out of touch than he had already been having been kept from the muggle world except for very rare occasions whilst living with Andy.

It came as no surprise when the overeager boy clambered over the door and off into the crowd, as soon as Hadrian had unfastened his seatbelt. Rather than try to call him back, Hadrian calmly gathered their his bag from the backseat and put the roof back up, lest they had to shovel their seats free of snow when they wanted to leave later.

So I hear you were duped into Christmas baking for the entire town." Tyler appeared at his window with a shit eating grin that had Hadrian want to dunk that head in the nearest snow pile and grind it in nicely. Suppressing that particular appealing but inappropriate thought, he merely raised a brow and smiled sweetly at the teen. "Good afternoon to you too."

It was very satisfying seeing that grin falter and the tan skin pale, yeah, he's still got it. after a week being aslave to 'puppy eyes' he'd started to doubt his prowess.

While Tyler inched back his mind full of flashbacks and superimposed images of his mother wearing that exact same sugary smile and that same innocuous tone that hid enough poison to lay an elephant flat, Hadrian got out of his car and locked it, going around to the boot.

Recovered, Tyler clicked his tongue and shook his head at him, "Don't let mum see you drove here like that. She'll strangle you with scarves."

Opening his boot, Hadrian cast a surreptitious notice-me-charm to conceal just how many laws of physics he was breaking while extracting the truly monstrous mound of food from within the small interior.

Knowing that to be a very legitimate threat, Hadrian narrowed his eyes at the seventeen year old that looked like he had been ambushed by same said mother before leaving the house; his tall frame being covered by thick cotton and wool from head to toe with barely nose, eyes and mouth peeking out from between the half inch thick wool cap and five-fold wrapped scarf.

"As long as you don't mention it all will be fine."

Tyler raised his eyebrow skeptically. "Hmm."

Hadrian rolled his eyes and passed an plastic wrapped pack of biscuits into the open palm. Tyler grinned. "So glad to meet a man who knows how the world works." Opening his spoils he happily stuffed a whole biscuit in him mouth, moaning as the taste hit his tongue. "This are really good. Walnut and hazel?"

"Daylight robbery." Hadrian declared and turned back to unloading.

"I'm hurt, you didn't even tell your only friend that you had a stall at the premiere event of the winter."

Hadrian shot him a poisonous glare as he saw the shit-eating grin back on the others face, silently daring him to bring that up one. More. Time. It's not as if a certain someone hadn't already spammed his inbox with taunting messages all evening last night. Just you wait, when he found that misplaced packet of Skiving Snackbox, he may not get away with slipping him a Canary Cream but one of those new Flu Flubbers were perfect. Inner Hadrian was cackling at the thought of a pitiful Tyler feeling fine but being forcibly confined to his bed by his overprotective mother, his protests falling on deaf ears as she plied him with soups and one horrible cough medicine after the other. Trying to disobey her orders - because he would sooner or later - would only have him tied to that bed before he could blink and suffer her lectures on top of her fussing; Tyler would be barking mad by the end of the day.

Oh how delightfully evil! He'd have so send Kreacher looking for it - _after_ Christmas, wouldn't want to waste Carol's efforts, especially since she had already wrangled the promise from him that he and Teddy would join for Christmas dinner. Really, that woman she was there for barely three hours and managed to wheedle him in just as many commitments; somehow he had found himself agreeing to let himself to be sold off in that auction slash fundraiser, early next year. That woman was dangerous! Good thing she wasn't really the Mayor or the surrounding towns would have cause to tremble in fear.

Now Tyler was truly scared as he looked around frantically feeling as if someone had just walked over his grave, shaking his head like a dog he quickly changed the subject. "Where's the little tyke? Mum's been gushing about the perfect little gentleman ever since she got home yesterday. He sounds far too perfect to exist."

"That's Teddy, a real charmer."

Hadrian looked around and eventually spotted the black head with it's purple knit hat and trailing scarf amongst a crowd of cooing women, not able to suppress the snort as he pointed him out to Tyler who whistled.

"Looks like mum has competition, he doesn't waste any time does he?" Tyler chuckled as he watched the small boy that seemed to be swallowed by his thick woolen scarf rake in the treats by the dozen as he wrapped them around his little finger. The kid would be truly terrifying come Halloween, he could see it already.

"Let's hope he makes use of it and helps me get rid of all this stuff. The sooner it's all gone, the sooner I'm free." Hadrian declared smacking away Tyler's reaching hand.

"Ouch! You said you wanted them gone I was just trying to be a good friend and you hit me."

Hadrian gave him a blinding smile that didn't at all fit the words that left his mouth. "I slaved over the oven the whole afternoon and evening yesterday because of your scheming mother corrupting my sweet son. You bet I'm going to extort the hell out of the collective Mystic Falls community with a smile on my lips."

With that Hadrian stalked off to set up his stall, smiling sweetly as he exchanged greetings as he went.

"May God be with them." Tyler intoned solemnly, before grinning and withdrawing the arm from behind his back in which he had clutched two more of the plastic wrapped packets of goodness.

 **-)§(-**

The Meeting between Tyler and Teddy was a very peculiar thing to watch.

As predicted; Teddy had found him easily, locking onto his location with a supernatural sense that he suspected exceeded a mere magical intuition. Hadrian had been unashamedly abusing the taller teen and his muscles to set up his stall to his satisfaction merely clipping on the sign Teddy had so lovingly drawn last night before bed.

Those unique intense eyes had instantly locked onto the older boy with an intensity that was scary in one so young, and a truly dark expression crossed his face for a moment, but it was gone so quickly Hadrian doubted if it had truly been there. It must have been a mere trick of light, yes that sounded right.

Teddy was all bright smiles as he came running to his side, giving him a tight hug before turning to Tyler with curious eyes, tilting his head back to stare up at the taller teen for a moment, before stepping forward between the two with a smile and wasted no time at all before introducing himself. "You must be Tyler Lockwood, son of Carol Lockwood."

Tyler startled by being addressed in such a strange formal way, but nodded nonetheless, giving the boy he recognised as the fabled and much talked about Teddy, a friendly smile. "That's me. You must be Teddy."

Teddy straightened his posture, his stance unbowed and proud as he put his fist over his heart. "My name is Black, Teodred Callisto Black, Heir and son of Lord Hadrian Black."

Behind the boy, Hadrian face-palmed. Teddy spent _**far**_ too much time with Malfoy.

 **-)§(-**

Despite the dubious start, Teddy and Tyler did get along as the boy quickly took to the mayor's son after what seemed one unblinking soul searching stare with eyes that had turned completely gold under the glamour rather than the now usual curious mix. How curious...

It was very obvious to him that Tyler, despite all his bluster, had never had any kind of interaction with younger children and had no idea what to do with one, watching him flounder about was very amusing and he made sure to remember the details so he could later recount them to Carol. He'd never seen Tyler that awkward, but Teddy, being the mature little boy he was, easily took the lead with a well placed snowball right between the eyebrows that knocked the wool hat askew. Hadrian watched with a smile as he watched Tyler run after the giggling boy with a grin, big mistake; these past snow days, Hadrian had discovered that Teddy had a very mean aim, giving pitchers a run for their money with that right arm of his.

"Was that Teddy with Tyler?"

"Jenna! You came at the right time I've been set up, used and abandoned." he pouted at his friend, pulling out his very own version of the puppy eyes. One word; irresistible. In no time his wheedling and manipulating payed off and he had her behind the stall. No way was he doing it alone like an idiot.

 **-)§(-**

"Do you want to try one?" Teddy asked as he held out the tray and stared up at the couple with big eyes. "I made them with my dad."

The couple were charmed as they were blasted with a full brunt of cuteness and the woman's heart melted to goo as she gripped at her husband and held in a coo.

"Yes please." The man accepted gruffly taking one for him and another for his wife, just as affected as her but unwilling to show it.

Teddy grinned brightly, dealing the couple another heavy hit.

"I want one." The woman declared.

"We can find the stall later." her husband placated but his wife wasn't listening instead producing a wad of dollars and exchanging them for an armload of baked delicacies.

"Not the cookies." The man startled at the sultry look in his wife's eyes, as she passed over the packets. "Eat." she commanded, before leaning closer and adding in a lower voice a note of promise in her voice, "You'll need the energy. When we get home, I'm going to have my way with you and we're not leaving the bed until you put a baby in my stomach." With that she tugged her dazed and stupidly grinning husband away to the other food stalls.

Teddy was left behind a total of five packets lighter and $25 richer, a mischievous grin on his face. This was such good practice! Scorp had been right; no one can resist a cute little boy… now he just needed to refine his skills so even his dad fell before his new superpower!

With a grin carried on weaving through the crowd and picking off his targets, steadily filling his purse with that muggle paper money as he went.

"Oof" Teddy bumped into someones legs, losing his breath and struggling to keep hold of his tray and only managing with some difficulty he did not expect the violent reaction that followed. "OUCH! Watch where you're going!" came the sharp snap from overhead accompained by the vehement shove of an arm, and Teddy stumbled back at the rough movement struggling not to drop his packets of biscuits and sample basket.

"Elena!"

"What that hurt! He rammed that tray straight into my thigh!"

Picking himself back of the floor and happy to note that none of his biscuits broke he carefully brushed the snow from his bum and tray, before climbing back to his feet.

"I'm sorry for running into you," he apologised quietly bowing slightly, as was proper for a pureblood gentleman, his actions garnering a few coos from those around, "but you should apologise too. You should not push those smaller than you over or you're nothing but a bully." He told the dark haired girl with the white wool hat.

But by the ugly look on her face, Teddy could see his manners were wasted, she was not like the Ladies grandma Cissy had told him about or he wouldn't have to tell her that.

Turning his back on her he looked up at the two other girls, one with blond curls and a dark one, he liked them way better than the other one especially the one with the earmuffs and sparkling blue eyes, much better than disgusting brown ones like the rude one.

"Do you want to try some of my cookies? I made them with my daddy!" Cue his most devastating weapon of wide big eyes peeking up shyly through his lashes, and Teddy was pleased to hear the praise and delighted moans as they bit into his biscuits, quickly drawing the surrounding people in without much effort on his part. His dad was truly the best! Everyone loved what he made.

Seeing the reaching hand out the corner of his eye, Teddy slyly turned and presented the last chocolate frosted tree shaped biscuit to a smiling woman gifting her with a small sweet grin he had learned from Scorp.

"Hey!"

"Yes?" Teddy asked innocently, putting another note into his purse.

"Don't act so innocent you brat!" Elena hissed with a glare so done with that gratting attitude. You did that on purpose. Give me a sample!"

"I'm sorry there aren't any left you will have to buy a packet if you want some." He blinked up at the girl.

"Five dollars for a few cookies! I'm not paying that much that's rip-off, no one will pay that much for some lousy biscuits." she declared squinting at him with what may have been her attempt at an glare, or she was blind, as she obviously didn't even see that both of her friends had bought a biscuit packet each.

"Quality has it's price." Teddy retorted calmly quoting Uncle Draco and Grandma Cissa when Grandma told them off for spending so much money on his gifts, he loved that gold and silver calligraphy set with it's thick parchment marked with the Black crest, he still used it to write all his letters. "No one else complained, everyone else bought them happily. It's not my fault if you can't afford them, you can buy others." his tone was pouty but Elena was not fooled as those freaky eyes stared at her dismissively.

That hit where it hurt. Jenna had made true on her threat and cut her allowance the little she had now was from what she had scrapped together from her numerous handbags and the little chores she did around the house and yard. What little she had left she was saving for the hot chocolate she was just glad that she wasn't picked as Care's secret Santa this year, it was enough for Matt to give him an old frame from the attic with pictures of Matt and her one as toddler the other from last year. She didn't like to be reminded by her dire situation by some uppity little brat.

"Who do you think you are?!" Elena demanded with a sneer, acting like he was so much better than her, ha! This was _her_ town, her family was one of the most prominent Founders!

Teddy turned back and gave the stupid girl a superior look. " _I'm_ Teodred Callisto Black, son of Lord Hadrian, scion and Heir of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black." he declared with all the pureblood condescension he was able to muster. Which was a lot, the only thing missing from his oppressive aristocratic aura was addressing her as 'peasant'. With that he turned and stalked off without a backward glance.

Uncle Draco had been right; muggles were barbarians with no manners. **At. All.**

 **-)§(-**

Their small stall sold out to the last biscuit and cookie, and they were finally free to wandered about, Teddy enjoying his elevated view from Hadrian's shoulders his feet dangling over his chest as his eyes took everything in from the new perspective.

"Why did they put food in the tree?" he breathed in confusion.

"It's just something people do here." Harry whispered back "We put candy canes in ours."

"But that's candy! They put in popcorn, doesn't it get soggy? We're outside!"

Hadrian's lips twitched at the seven year old's frown, some times he really was a little Ravenclaw. "I don't get it." Teddy muttered unhappily.

Hadrian raised an eyebrow at Jenna silently inviting her to put in her two knuts but she frantically shook her head, but it was too late Teddy had already set his sights on her, her vehement motions having easily caught his attention.

"Do you know Jenna?" he asked her leaning down closer to her before Hadrian scooped him up and set him back onto the floor where he started to run around the increasingly flat footed woman, before attaching himself to her arm, eager for the answer to the incomprehensible action.

Hadrian was glad that that was one pair that had hit it off right from the start without the initial tension from Teddy, he had begun to worry that the ordeal from the attack had had more side-effects than those nightmares. No, Teddy had been all smiles and curiosity just as Hadrian was used to, now if only he would learn to introduce himself normally he would be happy, not even normal wizardy ettiquette required to mention him, the father and mention of his status in every introduction, at least he had limited himself to just black and didn't start with the ancient and noble business or, Merlin forbid, start listing all his other title... Hadrian suppressed a shudder. He was get increasingly curious looks he was just fortunate that everyone already thought the British were weird and had even more preconceived notions of the old aristocracy.

This was all on Malfoy, he _knew_ it! The bloody ferret.

Back in reality he decided it was high time he saved Jenna from Teddy's curiosity and motor mouth. "Why don't you go ask Carol?"

Yep, he had never seen her look that grateful, as Teddy paused and tilted his head in thought.

And off he was with that adorable little determined frown... Hadrian had to smile, before turning back to Jenna and her amusing childhood tales of her misfortunes while shoveling snow as they ambled toward the hot chocolate stall; there was a steaming mug waiting with his name on it.

 **-)§(-**

It was a good few hours into the event and Hadrian was pleasantly surprised how enjoyable it had turned out once he had finished all that stall business and even that had been fun in it's own way with him practicing what could only be called legal extortion. Teddy had also made the whole thing tolerable with the sheer joy he exuded being in his full element as he wrangled the money out of the unsuspecting masses and wrapping the collective community around his little fingers.

Yeah, Hadrian was already dreading Teddy's teenage years, it was going to be a nightmare. If he thought he could get away with it he would consider pulling a Rapunzel and getting him a cushy tower for those particular years. With the general unhingedness going around Britain and it's plague of rabid fangirls; it could be construed as a legal protection measure. But then there was Scorpious; the angel-eyed devil would never allow the separation...

Thank Morgana that that headache was still years away, and if needs must, he could threaten a teacher or two to act as his extended reach… hmm, now that thought had merit.

Unknowing of his father's heavy thoughts, Teddy was running around and enjoying himself, laughing and carefree as he felt as free as never; the glamour ring his dad had made him covering any signs of his gift and lifting the constant need for caution and emotional reserve from his shoulders. Teddy was enjoying being just a kid, like all the others, as he ran about with his new friends in the snow, taking great pleasure in laying an ambush for Tyler that had the tall teen bombarded and almost buried in snowballs much to the amusement of all. Hadrian enjoyed taking many, _many_ , pictures of that event as he laughed himself sick at the teens stupefied face before he let out a playful roar and tore after the giggling and fleeing army of munchkins.

That was some time ago as the ankle-biters had settled some having returned and recharged their exhausted reserves with steaming cups of hot chocolate, marshmallows, cakes and biscuits before running off again. It was a balm to his soul seeing Teddy so lively and carefree, and was teased endlessly for being such an indulgent doting new daddy. Not that they were in any position to point any fingers as he gleefully pointed out to a flustered Sheriff Forbes who only became such after she saw how cute her daughter was so she could legally threaten boys with her gun in the future. Both Carol and Jenna joined his cackles watching a red-faced Liz stutter her way through that spot on accusation.

It was just as the sheriff transitioned back from tomato to human and they had moved on to safer topics – as in their charges most embarrassing childhood blunders, Hadrian making a special effort to commit both Elena's and Tylers to memory for later ammunition. It was a returned Tyler's turn to play the tomato, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else but not daring to leave his mother alone, lest she reveal anymore of his past sins. Her retelling of his nine year olds stint in her closet had been painful enough and a critical hit to his manly pride already.

So to Tyler, the outcry came as a heaven sent intervention and answer to his increasingly desperate inner pleas for salvation.

"You let a fat man come in through the floo and eat all your cookies!?" came the outraged shriek from a horrified little boy whose hair was cycling wildly through the rainbow under his glamour.

It was one of those rare moments where a single outcry silenced hundreds, and the entire square quieted.

Recognising the voice and the particular choice of words Hadrian didn't know if he should laugh or facepalm. Maybe, just _maybe,_ they should have had a talk about local muggle traditions _before_ braving the town.

Sure enough, there was Teddy; sprinting toward him and pushing himself through the crowd come statues, desperation on the little face as he gripped his shirt and stared up at him. "Daddy! You put up protections against this Santa, right? I don't want him to break in and eat all those biscuits we made! I want to send some to Scorp!"

Hadrian suppressed a laugh at the little scandalised face. "Of course, you know no one without invitation can get in. And even if he did… you know what Kreacher does to any and all intruders."

Teddy nodded seriously. "He hits them with his saucepan until they stop moving and then drags them to the dungeons."

Hadrian suppressed a laugh at all the scandalised faces surrounding at that piece of proclamation from an innocent mouth, he sent a proud smile at his son. "There you have it, nothing to worry about."

He reassured Teddy running a loving hand through the wild mop of blue hair, before putting the bright wool hat they had won at one of the few booths securely back on so the tip of those red ears were securely covered again.

"But Santa brings you presents!" came the squeaky outcry from one of the squirts Teddy had befriended.

"Like I would accept _anything_ from a stranger out of nowhere, are you stupid?" Teddy asked incredulously, looking at the two girls in total incomprehension. "Do you want to get cursed or worse get kidnapped? Do you know what they do with adorable kids like me?"

The pipsqueaks just gaped at Teddy along with everyone else... except Hadrian, of course, who thought his son was absolutely in the right. He _was_ far too adorable for this dirty world.

Putting a hand affectionately on his head Hadrian leaned forward and quietly informed his son of the multitude of trackers he had set on him especially the ones in the pendant with the two-way mirror, assuring him that he would find him anywhere even if the emergency portkey failed. With a last encouraging pat on his shoulder Hadrian straightened with a smile confident that even the lurking vampires hadn't been able to hear a word of his whispered reassurances courtesy of a wandless muffliato.

Teddy nodded seriously looking like a huge weight had lifted from his shoulders and with a light smile he ran off again leaving Hadrian alone in the midst of stupidly staring adults.

Hadrian was suddenly the focus of many pointed stares.

"Hadrian…" Carol eyed him reproachfully, while Jenna just stared unable to compute the piece of blasphemy and planned assault that had just been discussed in front of her by her best friend and his godson-turned-son.

And Tyler… he just looked like Christmas came early as he sniggered into his mug – that judging by it's scent and his protective hold, didn't just contain regular hot chocolate – not even feigning politeness. The git.

"What? It's true, he's way too cute for his own good. I **had** to instil certain principles."

"But Santa?" Jenna protested weakly.

Hadrian waved it away. "Santa Claus was an American marketing idea from the early 20th century." Hadrian rebuffed tartly. "The Santa Claus you know today is mainly due to Coca Cola. I don't encourage him to write letters with his wishes and hearts desire to strangers, that's just asking for trouble.

"Not to mention that most child disappearances happen around Christmas by Santa imposters." He reported causing Liz to nod grimly.

Hadrian wanted to cackle at the looks on their faces, but he had an image to maintain, so he merely smiled and continued on as if he was talking about the weather and not totally bashing all their little lies they told their children with a healthy dose of logic and common sense. "Besides, Teddy is a very intelligent boy with a large family. He spends enough time writing 'thank you' notes that he knows _exactly_ where his presents come from."

A tired Teddy was enveloped in Hadrian's arms as they listened to Sheriff Forbes give her speech, the Christmas lights lighting up everything around them in a warm multicoloured glow. "Did you enjoy yourself today, Teddy?"

"Yea.." the boy murmured tightening his grip on his scarf snuggling deeper into his daddy's warmth, eyes lazily taking in the bright Christmas tree. "Ours is still better."

The chest under his ear rumbled as Hadrian chuckled. "Naturally. Nobody beats our family at dramatics and flair."

Teddy gave a tired grin as Hadrian carried a totally knackered boy from the festives with a few cordial nods serving as goodbye, a smile of his own on his lips as he thought of this years Yule that awaited them in just a few scant days.

* * *

 **Done! We had Teddy introduced to the town, got the first meeting with Tyler and Jenna out of the way with little drama and had the first run in with Elena, which lucky for her Hadrian doesn't have a clue about...yet.**

 **There you go that's the end of the first arc.** **At the most one more chapter before there's a bit of a timeskip to the events of the second half of the season.**

 **Thank you to all who reviewed, faved and followed!**

 **Sayumiko0;** _Most likely. I just love the Team K all four are just so awesome so will have a lot of opportunities to shine here._

 **Birdychirp;** _And feel betrayed he did, not that he can ever be mad or blame Teddy, but we did see a bit of passive aggressiveness. Poor Tyler had to bear the brunt of it, but he kinda provoked it lol_

 **Kossboss;** _That's something I always like to hear! Thx_

 **Griffindorks;** _Teddy just somehow has a way of forcing himself in, manipulating even me with his cute charm to get more screen time lol_

 **VampireLover67;** _That's always the best compliment, can't remember the many times I couldn't stop reading until the chapters ran out, glad i managed the same feat. As a fellow Elena hater I welcome you lol she's not going to coast by like in cannon though I won't invent exaggerated misdeed from her just for the sake of bashing her she pulled enough shit to make that unnecessary. I wanted to strangle her so many times! Damn that main character immunity._

 **Brown5o;** _Because the only fem TVD chars I can see for him are Kathrine and Rebekah and they don't really fit for the end pairing besides the other originals (sans Finn) are just so much more interesting. Don't worry it's a while yet until there is slash, first there's the Hadrian/Katherine fling around the corner._

 **MattKennedy _;_** _Oh_ _yes, there will be a lot fun awaiting werewolf Tyler. Muahahahaha Teddy is very possessive once he decides something or someone is his (as demonstrated these past chapters) he gets that from Hadrian lol_

 **AnimeFreak71777;** _XD_

 _ **RebelliousOne;** lol as you can see, his first outing and he's already making headway in conquering the town._


	20. 19 Festives and Fireworks Pt1

**_Warnings; Hadrian and Teddy are both wizards so don't expect the typical christmas from them. They follow their own religion and so are not Catholic or christian. My great-grandma would have called them heathens lol  
_** ** _I gave my imagination free reign with a bit of googled paganism mixed in don't expect anything accurate._**

 ** _Sorry for the long wait guys! RL got in the way and then my muse hid under the desk and refused to come out. It took a while to find the right treat to coax it back out._**

 ** _For all those loyally waiting for the update here is an extra long one. I split it up in two chapters. Enjoy!_**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 19:_**

 **Festives and Fireworks**

 **Pt 1:**

 **Yule; day of sloth, gluttony and magic**

 _ **Monday 21st December, 2009**_

Yule had come upon them with joy and a festive air as the halls of Black Manor gleamed and glowed as they were brought to life by the lively yule decorations, the scent of incense, cinnamon and fresh evergreen and pine heavy in the air and one seemed to inhale yule spirit with every breath. Yes Hadrian was proud to say, Teddy and he had really outdone themselves this year, so much so that they had sent the usually so composed Mrs Lockwood into rhapsodies(again) the time she came over to personally deliver their Christmas Dinner invitations - Hadrian knew an convenient excuse when he saw one, evidenced by the new high definition camera she wasted no time pulling from her bag before flitting from one corner to the next. If he knew Carol only half as well as he did, he would still know that he was screwed. As he _did_ in fact know her very well, he could accurately predict his bleak fate next winter; the ambitious woman was so pleased with her excited plotting, it made all legimency attempts completely unnecessary as Hadrian's doom was practically slapped across his face.

And so, without even a word of warning passing any lips, Hadrian found out about his future role as the new unofficial Mystic Falls Decorator.

He did what every mature adult did when faced with something they absolutely did not want to acknowledge, he turned his metaphorical back with the 'out of sight, out of mind' sentiment and concentrated on something more important. Like firing off the new charm that not only phased out the magical from human perception but also prevented any muggle device from recording it; fairies may be invisible to muggles but, as the fiasco in 1920 proved, not exempt from photography. It had been a close call as Carol was very loose and swift with that index finger of hers. He did _not_ want to face the situation of explaining to the far too headstrong and inquisitive mayor's wife just why there were fairies flitting about in her photos. He couldn't very well tell her that their Yule tree lights and decoration had done their job and attracted all the light sprites and fairies from the area to bask in their magical winter wonderland of decorations. Even he had been slightly overwhelmed by the sheer number of them, but that just proved the unshakable allure of the wizardy candy canes - and that there really were no other magical residences hidden in the area. Teddy was ecstatic of course, getting into even more mischief than usual with the help of the more naughty and mischievous of the little fiends, clearly displaying the fact that he now had the blood of _two_ Marauders running through his veins.

...Yeah, he really should have thought that through more carefully beforehand.

Poor McGonnagal and Snape. (He couldn't curb his involuntary wicked smirk at the thought, he just couldn't.)

For his part Hadrian only prayed the fairies would leave again once Yule was over and all sugar in their house had been consumed. He wasn't overly optimistic; with his luck they would decide that his garden would be the perfect place to settle down permanently. The thought alone made him grimace, though lovely to look at from _afar_ they were tiny, nosy winged menaces that were near impossible to keep out _._ No, he much preferred the branch of bowtruckles he had settled in the magical willow by the pond in his walled-off magical garden, those were nice creatures to have in the garden, entertaining, adorable and **_calm._** Hadrian was not look forward to the potential guerrilla neighbourhood war should any of the fae set their sights on it.

The whole day of Yule was spent baking; this year Teddy and him had already made a huge dent in their biscuit and baked goods reservoir as they put together their various handicraft gifts the days before, so they were already in need for replenishments... migrating to the cushy window seat watching snowflakes dance about as they fell (Hadrian using his magic to manipulate them to play out fairy-tales as they dubbed the voices, Teddy helplessly shrieking in laughter at Hadrian's princess voice)... playing one magical board game after the other... throwing sugar cubes into the air and watching the fairies dive and squabble over them jealously... eagerly relieving the owls of their heavy burden and stacking the brightly packaged packages under the tree as they arrived throughout the day, although sometime around noon they had stopped being stacks and transitioned into mountains, while Hadrian's had graduated even further; entirely being unable to fit underneath their monstrosity of tree after 4 o'clock when Kreacher came back from cleaning out Hadrian's Eurasian postbox... and generally consuming ungodly amounts of food while they fooled around and made jolly.

Teddy also had found great pleasure in cornering him under every doorway graced with a mistletoe, planting kisses all over his face before presenting his own for Hadrian to reciprocate the treatment - really he was worse than his hordes of fangirls that congregated in packs under said dainty cuttings of festive winter plant at every Yule event he was at. Thankfully for his continued mental and physical well-being; his little Slytherin godson had more talent in outmaneuvering him in his little _pinky_ than those bints possessed collectively... despite their acclaimed 'feminine wiles'. At least he actually enjoyed the attention of his little man and was happy to indulge his childish whims - who could say no to that adorable little face and those wide, puppy eyes? - secure in the knowledge that his lips weren't coated in various love potions or ghastly lust potions.

Hadrian suppressed a shiver of horror and revulsion remembering his close call - a few more millimeters and his life would have been **_over_**! -, it were always the most ugly and unbearable ones that managed to come up with the most devious and underhanded of plans.

Still he was a bit unnerved of that single-minded focus of his cute little son displayed, he should be far too innocent to know anything about mistletoe other than the facts he got in herbology, much less know about kissing. He was far too young! Hadrian could see a very dark future ahead of himself when he Teddy hit his teens, he knew from experience that the Hogwart's professors had absolutely **NO control** over what their charges got up to after classes.

Aside from that worrying realisation, that he should have realised _sooner_ as his son had been at that game all week - and somehow Hadrian still fell for it over 70% of the time. Like he said; **_SCARY._** \- it had been a very pleasant lazy day.

Really, the most productive they had managed all day - that didn't relate back to gorging themselves, their insatiable sweet tooth, or both - was going out in the snow and searching the surrounding woods for the perfect materials for their Yule Log, this years being a birch wood one with a wreath made out of oak, pine and rowan branches twined with marjoram and laurel affixed to it with festive red ribbons. That said Yule Log was more of a Yule branch and had to be levitated back remained unsaid, a normal sized one would have looked ridiculous in their over-sized fireplace anyway. For the meantime they had placed it on the dinner table and decorated it with cuttings of mistletoe, ivy, pine needles and holly and covered it a dozen white candles to await the feast and it's eventual burning in the hearth. Once set they promptly congratulated themselves for a job well-done by treating themselves to the fresh-out-the-oven gingerbread men with a side of hot chocolate.

It was a day full of sloth, gluttony and hedonism and the one and a half wizards were just fine with that and continued the same way late into the evening...

An ecstatic squeal could be heard throughout the darkened Manor and despite it being the logical conclusion; no, the origin was _not_ the seven-year-old. The longest night of the year found the two secret Potters camped out in front of the giant fireplace in a nest of what appeared to be every pillow of the house between said roaring hire and the merrily twinkly Yule tree. It was a cozy setting of snuggly comfort and magic as the room was lit by the golden flickers of the fire, the sparkling magnificence of their tree and the zooming glow of the twirling fairies overhead. The two had interrupted their lively magical boarding games marathon, burned the log and finished dinner and arrived at the most anticipated part of the evening; selecting a present each to open early.

The rest would have to wait until after the customary ritual at sunrise, while Missy and Kreature cooked up a veritable feast for breakfast - just remembering last years had him at the verge of drooling despite his vivid memories of being unable to move all 23rd after the pure two days of indulgence plaguing his mind - but one was already their _tonight._

Which was fortunate as Hadrian didn't think Teddy would have been able to bear the wait; his sights had already been set on the gold and green stripped present with the tiny holes.

Throughout the day, that parcel had occasionally rattled suspiciously, and had immediately pinged on the boy's mischief radar, rousing an insatiable beast within the seven-year-old. Despite the many fabulous distractions and wild merriment going on, the curiosity had nearly killed Teddy, and Hadrian had had to repeatedly drag the boy back by the scruff of his neck as he gravitated toward his metaphorical forbidden fruit as soon as his back was turned, his hair and skin going camouflage as he did so.

Maybe there was more of the wolf in Teddy than he had first believed as the whine he got in return was positively wretched and distinctly inhuman, it couldn't have been more lethal had it been designed to crumble his resolve as the piteous sound speared straight through his heart. Only the firm grip of thousand years of his ancestor's traditions and a steady mantra let him stay strong and hang on by a silk thread.

By the time they finished the last treacle tart at dessert Teddy was ready to burst, the boys inquisitive mind working 200 miles an hour as he regarded the square box through unwavering intense eyes. It had all been incredibly amusing to Hadrian but he finally took pity on the boy when the yule log had been placed into the glowing embers and burst aflame, and gave Teddy the go ahead. The boy had been across the room so fast Hadrian almost suspected apparition but didn't wonder and hastened to pluck up a random present from his own pile and return to their place in front of the fire where a quivering and shaking Teddy sat clutching the present to his chest, barely able to contain his excitement and eagerness.

As soon as his butt touched the cushion, there was no stopping Teddy; he ripped into the paper with relish, yanked off the lid and fell backwards with a shout causing Hadrian to blink as it had all happened within a second. The shout of surprise quickly turned into shrieks of laughter and flailing of limbs as he was assaulted by an equally as enthusiastic Pygmy Puff, Teddy helplessly giggling as the fist-sized ball of electric blue and iridescent purple fur eagerly rubbed his neck unerringly targeting one of the boys ticklish spots.

Hadrian grinned as he shot one magical photo after the other, immortalizing the image of the his son being overwhelmed by the puny ball of fluff and eagerness as it made squeaking purring sounds of joy. Mooooeee!

So adorable!

Considering that excitement, Hadrian hadn't expected his rather ... exuberant... reaction when he opened the box and touched the material within either - and he would deny it happened to his dying breath - but it had been totally justifiable.

Untying the acromantula silk ribbon, Hadrian pulled out a pure white jumper that was so thick and fluffy and yet light it was like he was holding a cloud. He buried his hands in the infinitely soft fabric that felt like the downiest feathers woven together and even then it still didn't do justice to the luxurious feel of _this_ as it slid across his bare skin. No this was something else that put even the most expensive of cashmere to shame, making it appear as nothing but rough, scratchy wool in comparison.

Grabbing for the card he had ignored until then, a grimace marred the wizards face. _Of course_ it had been _**H** **im**_ , he should have known...

With a sound of disgust he dropped it like he had been burned, jaw clenching as emerald eyes stared unseeingly ahead. Merlins saggy balls, if he ever found out his reaction he would never ever be able to live it down, he could already see that unbearable, too perfect, smug face before him. Hadrian buried his face in his hands releasing a groan of pure frustration for once not even noting the display of pure heart-stopping cuteness taking place beside him as Teddy and his new companion rolled around, too caught up in his self loathing and crushing feeling of defeat that he didn't want to face settling about him.

One that only increased when he couldn't resist spreading his fingers and peaking down at the slice of pure heaven lying there just in front of him.

Hadrian lasted exactly 15 seconds of unblinking staring, before crumbling.

Not able to resist; he snatched it up and buried his face into the jumper, rubbing his cheek against the material as he practically melted at the fluffiness. Hadrian giggled. ...It was like a cloud.

If only he didn't give such good gifts…

 **-)§(-**

 _ **Tuesday 22nd December, 2009**_

Predawn came and lit the sky as Hadrian and Teddy trekked through the five inch snow, the silent woods filling up with warm giggles, laughs and squeals as the occasional sly snowball found its way onto the back of ones head or was quickly avoided by ducking behind a tree.

When the sky transitioned from it's deep midnight blue to the gentler tones of approaching dawn and the longest night of the year was beginning it's end, Hadrian had set aside his book and peeled himself from his comfortable nest of blankets and pillows in front of the fire, ending his vigil as the Head of House.

Crawling and burrowing further into the pillow fortress they had constructed sometime far into the night and Teddy had so valiantly defended with his mighty beast Sir Fluffball, Hadrian located his wayward son where he had finally succumbed to sleep half-way through the game of gobstones that decided the fate of the fortress, not up to the task of keeping up all night. Gently shaking Teddy awake and being rewarded by a face full of grumpy fluffball.

And so, as was tradition, they had wrapped themselves in thick furred cloaks and warm boots before trekking outside to watch the sun rise from the highest point in the immediate area, which happened to be at the quarry ten minutes north-east. Sitting there at the ledge together feet dangling, and listening to the faint trickling the half-frozen waterfall the two snuggled in their cloaks as they watched as dawn shot colours through the sky. With small smiles they watched as the world came to life again as the sun began it's climb and the forest woke up as the birds started chirping and the horizon brightened and the orange disk made it's appearance. Rising from amidst the treetops like a ball of fire it's effect was immediately noticeable as the cold lost it's hold the further it inched it's way higher into the sky, setting the pattern for the coming half year where the sun gained more strength and presence from this day onward until it's peak in summer. They stayed until the first warm rays touched their forms, lighting up their alabaster skin in a warm glow as they were bathed in it's tinted light.

After exchanging a glance, Teddy cupped his hands over the snoozing piggmypuff burrowed deep in his warm breast pocket and took off, dashed back into the woods with an excited grin and an exhilarated laugh, having looked forward to this all week. With a predatory grin Hadrian followed, changing shape mid-leap and landing on powerful paws and taking off after his charge. A deep chuff emerging from his throat in amusement as he heard Teddy's indignant whine of 'Not fair!' as he streaked past the fast little bugger.

When a panting Teddy finally reached the garden Hadrian already stood there waiting, a serene smile on his lips and a large gold bowl in his hands, a mountain of ash within. Knowing what was coming next, Teddy grinned in excitement and scrambled to stand opposite his daddy. Releasing his hold and conjuring a tripod, the bowl levitated for a moment before smoothly lowering to settle in it's place, Hadrian reached into his cloak and withdrew a bowl that was equally as gold and rune inscripted as the the bigger one and handed it to his excited son with an encouraging smile. Teddy accepted it with a grin, his hot breath misting in front of his face, and his heart beating furiously in his small chest and not because of the exertion anymore. His first true magic heavy ritual where he would be allowed to do more than just watch! Teddy listened with rapt attention to the words that he only half understood, not having gotten far enough in his Old Norse lessons as that. But he could feel the magic. He wasn't as amazing as his daddy but he could feel the magic unfurl from Hadrian and rise in the air to settle around them like a heavy cloak and he could feel something stir deep inside him in response as the words flowed over him.

Then it was silent and aglow emerald eyes lifted to his and Teddy realized with a jolt it was his turn.

Heart afflutter in excitement, his whole body seemed to shiver as he dipped his bowl into the mountain of ash the runes lighting up in orange. Once full and he echoed the last words of the ritual, carefully enunciating the words he'd practiced all week as they twisted his tongue as he tried to wrap it around the foreign sounds. But he knew what they meant;

 _"Hail Sun, herald of Winters End."_

It was like a gate had opened within him and he felt magic rushing through him joining and touching his daddy's and he felt his breath catch. It was so strong and there was so **_much_** of it. He hoped he would one day be even just half as magnificent as daddy.

The timing was perfect as just as cupped the bowl, and held it high as he spoke the words, the sun peaked over the tall pines and touched the remains of their Yule log causing the magic to spike and the ash to glow and Teddy's breath caught in his chest as his eyes widened in wonder. Even the cold leery Pygmy Puff stirred and peaked one azure blue out of the warm pocket.

A warm hand on his bobble hat broke the boy out of his trance and Teddy downright glowed as Hadrian sent him a small proud smile and nudged him ahead with a nod. And off he was in a sprint across the snow covered lawn, hand plunging into the ash and throwing it about himself in wild abandon, quickly coming back for a second and third refill as he ran around like a puppy on crack.

A swish had him look up, and he suddenly lost the ground under his feet as he was scooped up unexpectedly and plopped on the firebolt, just managing to keep hold of the bowl, and releasing a shriek as he suddenly found himself dozen feet in the air on broomstick, his daddy's arms securely around him. Hadrian grinned roguishly happy to finally share this with his son, the weight he had carried around for almost four years finally lifting as he saw the true joy on that small face and the healthy glow in those rosy cheeks even as they flushed from happiness and cold. Bliss lightened his heart until he felt like it just might float straight out of his chest, instead he firmed his grip on Teddy and his trusty firebolt and shot higher, up towards the gold and white clouds, sprinkling a trail of iridescent ash as he did so.

Teddy's ecstatic giggles were lost in the wind, but echoed all over the property making two old house elves smile as they paused in whipping up a feast for their two young masters. It was good to hear that their Master was finally happy.

* * *

 **Loooonnnng right?! I haven't crunched out this long chapters since the Prologue/Future Arc of Blood, Soul & Magic!**

 **Originally I hadn't planned on Yule being more than a small blurb but then I found some paragraphs I had written earlier and Az the Pygmy Puff somehow forced himself into the story out of nowhere!**

 **2nd Part is already up!  
**


	21. 20 Festives and Fireworks Pt2

_**Disclaimer; Harry Potter nor Vampire Diaries is mine!**_

 _ **Warnings; Honestly no clue what could be offensive about this chapter. But I'm weird. If you spot anything let me know!**_

 _ **Here you go the 2nd part!**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 20:**_

 **Festives and Fireworks**

 **Pt2:**

 **'Training intensifies'**

 _ **Saturday 26th December, 2009**_

"Wakey Wakey!" The door barged open and an entirely unwelcome intrusion interrupted the heavenly cocoon of lazy warmth and sleepiness.

A groan was the only appropriate response to the cruel interference, in this particular mind anyway. Small fists tightened in thick duvet as he discreetly slid further down into the warm depths that was reserved just for him. Curling into a comfortable ball this young boy just hoped the intruder would take the hint and go away.

"Now none of that," Hadrian scolded. "Since that local tree lighting festival we have been doing nothing but lazing about and stuffing ourselves. Dozens of pounds of gingerbread, biscuits and cake, one fatty goose, duck and pheasant after the other, not to forget that feast with the Lockwoods. Enough is enough, I like my son energetic and am not looking forward to a blob of fat that bowls me down if he descends the stairs after me."

Hadrian paused as he shuddered at the thought. He was exaggerating of course, but the mere 1% chance that Teddy would ever come to resemble an animal more than human send nausea through him. He was well acquainted with the what a beached whale looked like, it being a familiar sight every years end during his childhood and he had no urge to see that again. Ever.

Looking back at he small lump under the covers that was his godson-come-son, Hadrian had to grin at the the neon blue trail of hair that stuck out from the little hidey hole, blazing a bright trail across the pillows and disappearing down the side of the bed making Hadrian curious just how much further it reached. A mischievous twinkle came into his eyes as he noticed the absolute stillness of his charge that was doing his very hardest to ignore his presence and feign sleep.

Releasing an exaggerated sigh, Hadrian turned his back and made his way back to the door in deliberate slowness. "I see Teddy is still too tired, such a shame. I wanted to start his wandless training… but if he rather wants to sleep, than learn magic with his old dad, I understand."

The reaction was immediate;

Teddy sprang up like a Jack-in-the-box, his long hair flying about him and his grin dazzling in his excitement. "Do you mean that!"

"Of course, so get dressed and come down for breakfast."

Hadrian's lips twitched as the covers were thrown aside and small feet thumped onto the floor and his son ran into the bathroom, before coming straight back out, giving him a tight hug, and disappearing again the long neon hair flying behind him like a cape.

With a chuckle he went over to the walk-in closet concealed by the wall panel, and carefully selected the out the soft but sturdy and warm trousers and the long sleeved robes, with their ingenious cut that allowed free movement, that he himself preferred to wear in his leisure. They were reminiscent of the robes they wore in Persia, just a little simpler in design and warmer in the fabrics considering this was winter and they were not in a sunbathed desert empire, but like he said…beyond comfortable and if one didn't know better these shorter ones could pass for a muggle shirt, if you squinted.

Of course he also took great care to select an over robe with a hood as Teddy had lately insisted so that the new constant companion Az - short for Azure - the Pygmy Puff had a place to rest once it got tired of bouncing up-and-down on the boy's shoulder or gallivanting on his head. A pocket was no longer enough for the squeaking furball once it had discovered the advantages of being tall, bleeding heart that he was Teddy made sure he got it, so something with hood it was.

(Hadrian still felt Fred and George had ripped him off somehow and sold him some kind of mutant; the amount of foot the fluffball consumed was not normal. Nor that it came with built-in puppy eyes. And that thing was far too intelligent, no way in hell were those tear glistening azure eyes real.)

Hood or not, the most important thing was that there was no iron, alloys or chemicals worked into the fabric, all substances that while not directly harmful were not anything that a self respecting magical wore as too much could interfere with the finer workings and sensing of magic.

If nothing else the twins theory that Teddy needed something he could protect had been proven true, as in it's presence those dark shadows he had seen flicker in Teddy's eyes in the seldom quiet moments were completely gone, every time Hadrian thought he might slip back, the nuisance jumped on Teddy and distracted it with it's silly antics, even if that was a terrified squeak when the pouting fairies decided they wanted some attention and tried to abscond with the interloper. The 'Battle of the Pygmy Puff' had been incredibly amusing to watch the sheer mayhem had been unbelievable.

Watching the boy polish off a mountain of pancakes and fruit, Hadrian couldn't stop his pleased smile, seeing the obvious transformation Teddy had undergone the last two weeks the time after the blood adoption especially. Children were really resilient, most adults would have needed years of therapy, but not his little man; with a positive constant in his life to ground him, Teddy had once again crept out of his defensive shell and had blossomed into an independent child that took to his new life here with gusto. As a magic sensitive, it had been a balm to his frazzled parental instincts to literally watch Teddy's magic settle completely over these last weeks, graduating into stability from the erratic spurts and healing the bursts of mental regression he'd had in the beginning.

It seemed blood adopting him, giving him an undeniable and irrefutable place with him; had been just as beneficial and healing as he'd hoped it would be and more.

"Outside?" Teddy questioned incredulously, tilting his head curiously as he took in the slim wood sliding doors with no glass but… paper?... that didn't seem like they should be connected with the outside; a strong wind and they would break!

Hadrian raised his brow. "What did you expect? A room with shuttered windows? The attic?" Hadrian laughed at the look on the boys face, even if he had been magical raised all his life, it was obvious he was raised in a house in the middle of a muggle neighbourhood. "No Teddy, magic is not something that can be trapped or confined it is always at it's purest and most potent when it's free. Like out here, in the fresh air, surrounded by plants, nature and life."

Hadrian pulled open the shoji and gesturing for Teddy to step to the wooden walkway beyond, the wards keeping the temperature mild and the customary outer glass doors obsolete. In the future he could conduct Teddy's lessons in the japanese style room, the tatami mat flooring and the calming atmosphere with the option of opening up two of the four walls into his special magical garden making the room ideal. But for the first contact...

Keeping his doubts about the doors to himself, Teddy followed his daddy through the flimsy doors, and found himself in a part of the garden he had never been before, something he regretted as blue wide eyes took in the magical wonderland in front of him his eyes darting from one magical plant to the next, never having seen so many in a single place. It was like a scene out of the _Beeddle and the Bard_! It was like one of his daddy's paintings come to life and only the promise of learning real magic from his idol kept the boy from sprinting barefoot through the snow and exploring the pond with it's curiously glowing water. Az showed none of his restraint and jumped from his hood straight down to the stone path, curiously rolling and exploring.

Hadrian chuckled as the pygmy puff got a little too close to the Amora Tentacula, a cousin of the Venomous Tentacula but ultimately harmless as the biggest it ate were flies and was otherwise satisfied with sunlight and water. Though it shared one thing with it's cousin...

Suddenly the beautiful silver and golden branches of the shrub slithered up from beneath the snow trying to catch the fluffball who released a high-pitched squeak as it jumped in the air in fright and and rolled away in a huff, while the Amora Tentacula seemed to wilt in disappointment.

... it had the same nimble limbs which it used to to satisfy it's need for cuddling and cute things. An amusing plant.

Ignoring the further antics of Az, Hadrian settled Teddy down on one of the laid out cushions, and started the lesson by starting to explain what was to him - who had properly connected to his magical core and had his magic always lazily curling about him - ; a fundamental truth of the world, expanding on the subject of magic and it's natural flows.

As attuned as he was he could always feel the differences in magic levels around him, it was one of the reasons he had chosen Mystic Falls to settle down in; the small town, despite it's muggle appearance and it's vampire problems, was ripe in primal energy and teemed with thick and potent magic of all kinds the magic. It crawled through the cemetery, in the High school parking lot, by the creek and rushed through the thickly wooded areas that had stood there even thousands years before that was so abundant here. Hadrian had noticed the moment he had drove into the towns vicinity, acting like a deep pulse, it was noticeable immediately that it had been stage to a lot of magical history. Not something he had expected to find outside Europe and the Orient to be honest.

If he had anything to say about it, come Ostara his son would be able to bask in it too, not only would the talent be invaluable in defence, but a deeper connection to his core and nature would also settle and stabilise the wolf genes that Teddy carried.

And here, in the little(figuratively speaking) walled off back garden that he had completed before even the manor itself, was the perfect place for him to learn. It was the epicentre of the epicentre of the magic rich area, naturally amplified by his cleansing the second he bought the land and made it his own. Magic _teemed_ here, rustling and wafting off the magical garden filled with the wonders the magical world had to offer botanical wise, should Neville ever wander in here, he would either; wet himself in pure joy as he fell into rhapsodies, would die of an heart attack of pure bliss once he spotted that Japanese fire lily variant that, yes, could actually spontaneously catch fire, or would refuse to ever leave again – needless to say his Manor was going to remain a Longbottom free zone, as wasn't keen on _any_ of the scenarios and in fact had trouble picking the option he could live with most. What's more the shy Gryffindor had even way back when demonstrated an uncanny talent in sniffing out any interesting or potentially dangerous plant in a 2 mile radius, he was even worse now since gallivanting through the amazon with Luna. Godbrother or not, just **no.** Longbottom free zone.

Snow bells chimed a lovely tune as they rustled, the tinkling tune adding the serene atmosphere which was just what he had aimed for, as tedious as any novice found it, the first step to anything worthwhile was always meditating. And that was what he set Teddy to do, to the boys great dismay. Fortunately for the boy he wouldn't need to do too much of it as his loving father had already done all the aggravating and mind-numbing groundwork for him and knew exactly how and what to teach when to maximize results. Hadrian hadn't only collected books, knickknacks and plants on his travels idly, but actively burrowed through the archaic practices of the ancient magical world compiling a training menu extraordinaire for his newly minted son. Only the best for his family.

Potters were widely known for many things; their wild hair, their insanely lopsided luck, their tendency to bring chaos wherever they walked, their natural grace in the air, their predilection to fiery headstrong partners, their bad eyesight (many believing the latter an justified gods given punishment, a just dessert for the amount of trouble they tended to bring about to the poor unsuspecting folk) and especially lately; their terrifying talent with a wand. What many neglected to note was their absolute loyalty and devotion to their family and the terrifying lengths those qualities propelled a Potter to. Potters had always been disregarded and underestimated because of their affable disposition and oftentimes easygoing nature but they had a core of steel and determination in spades and never did anything by half.

Faced with the close call and near loss of one of the last members of his family, all that had accumulated in the last true Potter, and Hadrian had torn through the world with a single-minded focus that would have terrified the masses and seen him branded as an uprising Dark lord had he not employed all his slyness while doing so. His actions making complete sense and completely logical in the mind of a Potter, no matter how much others protested and stared at him incredulously.

That his years long effort and travels had payed off and had incidentally granted him an unparalleled network that spanned the entire world and elevated him into heights his ill-gotten fame and title would have ever been able to.

Even more gratifying; after during the first day he realised Teddy's circumstances made him a natural. His connection through his wolfish traits were a boon and he'd known being an metamorphmagus would make everything infinitely easier on the boy as his body was already used to the push and pull of magic as his core flexed with each shift, but to see the small body rise from the cushions a bare hour in as the boy fell into his magical core and immersed himself completely… Hadrian had never been prouder. Nor had he ever been as giddy. His Teddy was a little genius!

He wouldn't have been able to suppress his very Bellatrix-like cackles if he'd tried.

Now the training could really begin.

 **-)§(-**

 _ **Thursday 31st December, 2009**_

"Ryan, that sweater is a dream! It's so soft." Jenna marvelled unable to stop her hands from stroking along the material.

"Isn't it?!" Hadrian agreed excitedly before he caught himself and forcefully calmed down, coughing a little in embarrassment. "Yes I was very pleased with it, it's ideal for this cold weather."

"What's it made of?"

"Specially treated cashmere," Hadrian lied, he had no idea what it was made of no amount of revealing charms yielded any results and he balked at the mere idea of taking a sample. _Definitely_ not anything muggles were familiar with, his bet being on an exotic magical creature. He could always ask… but that would feel too much like losing. The smug bastard was probably waiting for it. It was bad enough that he had been unable to part with it since trying it on later on the 22nd. The thought of putting on any of those scratchy and inferior woolen jumpers was unbearable to him enveloped in perfection as he was.

"Where did you get it?"

"Ah it was a Christmas gift of someone I'm unfortunately related to."

"I know what you mean, my brother-in-law, John, is just like that. Though he never got me a present like that," she frowned, "actually I can't remember him ever giving me any presents."

Hadrian gasped dramatically. "The outrage!"

Jenna poked him into his vulnerable side ruining his perfect rendition of a scandalised British Lady as he cringed; Jenna had very pointy fingers. Using his seeker reflexes he deflected the next expressions of her annoyance with a grin and shake of his head as he thought back to the start of the friendly - yet insanely competitive - gift-giving feud.

"It's only after that one time I implied he didn't know how to give proper meaningful gifts… since then it's become a sort of competition between us."

"Ryan!" Hadrian turned around to see Tyler loping toward him with a delighted Teddy perched on his muscled shoulder, the pout at having to leave fluffball Az at home long forgotten. "Mom said to get the fireworks ready."

"Fireworks!" Teddy cheered fairly vibrating in excitement, clapping his hands as his eyes sparkled.

Turning back to Jenna he threw her a wild grin. "You heard the two, I'm wanted." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, inclined his head at the two idiots that had started chanting 'fireworks' behind him as they jumped about, he wondered if it was the inner pyromaniac that slumbered in every boy, the influence of Teddy or the bottle of overpriced bourbon he had seen Tyler sneak or an combination of all three that reduced the teen to the mentality of an overexcited puppy. About Teddy he didn't have to wonder; he'd been in that state the entire past two days – very looong two days that consisted of far too sparse sleeping hours – ever since they'd emerged from the potions lab and finished filling their tennis ball sized spheres. Not that he could blame the boy the prospect of detonating their own self-made fireworks had even his blood pumping in excitement. He would have to remember to set aside a few samples for the twins.

2010 was greeted in a display of fireworks that had the entirety of Mystic Falls rooted in awe and tongues wagging for years to come as the entire sky lit up neon mist and fallen stars. And so 2009 came to a close with two very smug wizards and the blazing glory of magic.

The first edition of the new year had a picture and mention of Mystic Falls on display as a very enthusiastic reporter sang praises about the small rural town in the heart of Virginia, with its charming atmosphere and spectacular displays. The morning of the New Year couldn't have found Carol Lockwood any prouder or in a better mood even if her Richard had been named Governor of Virginia overnight, as she poured over the article at the breakfast table. Too gleeful about the increased interest it would bring to her town, the Mayor's Wife was unaware that not all interest was desirable, as states over eyes narrowed and plans were recalculated.

 **-)§(-**

 _ **Wednesday 6th January, 2010**_

A cab pulled up to the Mystic Fall's B&B and idled for a moment before the door opened and a pair of legs slid out sinuously. Marvellous designer heals that would have some women sell their soul to just wear even once clicked on the floor as the woman walked toward the lit doorway. Had anyone seen her arrive she would surely have turned many heads and not because of her impeccable taste in footwear.

Long dark hair escaped from their confines as a gust of wind tore down the street and the woman paused for a moment her head whipped to the side at the peculiar sound of taunt fabric in the wind so different to that of a flag. Keen eyes narrowed as they took in a ostentatious banner in the towns square by the town hall, curiosity lighting those unfathomable eyes as she took in the displayed face. Another gust of wind had her grimace as her hair blew about her face unpleasantly, tightening her grip upon her Burberry shearling trench coat and strode to up the steps and into the B&B.

Running a hand through the dark curls she fixed her gaze onto the old woman manning the reception. "A single room for two nights."

Oh dear, I'm very sorry but everything is full." The woman tutted glancing out the window at the harsh cold wind tearing at the trees outside, "I hate to turn you away in such a ghastly weather but you need a reservation, you might have better luck at Macy's three roads over."

The beautiful face that had frozen at the first word of refusal relaxed and a smirk tugged at those ruby lips, completely different from the small pleasant smile that had adorned them upon entering.

Leaning forward and making direct eye contact brown eyes dilated and pupils blew wide. "A single room for two nights." The woman purred commandingly, repeating her words from earlier.

Einstein had warned against repeating the same thing over and over and expecting different results, but there was no insanity here; the words had barely left those pouty lips when the old bint leapt into action and handed over a key with a wide welcoming smile.

"Your room key dear, I wish you a very pleasant stay. Would you like me to show you to your room?" the woman asked already half getting up to do so.

"Thank you, Mrs Flowers, that won't be necessary." The beauty smiled in satisfaction taking the proffered key and sashaying upstairs without a backward glance.

* * *

 **I wonder if anyone recognises the second title for the chapter, the quote got into my head while Hadrian was cackling away and I just couldn't shake it!**

 **I also realised a mistake in my last author note Ch18(I corrected it). When I said I was done with the first season I meant all that drama with the tomb and whatnot. For me the Bachelor Raffle, Miss Mystic** **Falls Pageant up to the masquerade ball deep into the Katherine drama and season 2 all belong together.** ** _No way_** **am I missing out on missing with Elena and her two vamp lapdogs during the Pageant and Stefan's mess ups Nu-uh!**

 **No matter how I long for my originals Kathy needs her screen time.**

 **I was a bit** ** _too eager_** **for the dawn of the Originals lol Sorry my mistake! Anyway 2010 is here and with it all the founder events and kick off of the Kathrine came back to town mayhem.**

 **As always thank you to anyone that fav, followed and reviewed that really kicked my ass back in gear!**


	22. 21 Sold into Slavery well almost

_**Disclaimer; I do not own Harry Potter or Vampire Diaries**_

 _ **Yay the Chapter is done! The first since over a year and I can tell you guys, editing is an absolute bitch! Especially if you somehow have multiple versions of the chapter and try to puzzle it together into one with just the episode Transcript because Netflix decided Spain didn't need Vampire Diaries anymore. I was very annoyed about that, and it's the main reason this chapter didn't come out earlier this year of the year ( and that PS4 for Xmas... but mainly the No TVD on Netflix!) how am I supposed to get back into the my Vampire Diaries groove without access to episodes? No worries, I found another source at long last and just in time for the big day.**_

 _ **HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY POTTER!**_

* * *

 **Sold into Slavery... well almost**

 _ **Thursday 7th January, 2010**_

With a aloof smile and regal bearing Hadrian throned on the stage as he reclined on a chair set at towards the back of the constructed stage. Despite the modest positioning the result was anything but, exuding a regal aura like a true Prince Charming, he made all teenage hearts throb like a vision straight out of a fairytale come wet dream, the dazzling sparkles about him concealing the absolute dead look in his eyes as he stared forward with unseeing eyes.

"You owe me," Hadrian hissed from the corner of his mouth, even as he kept the pleasant smile on his lips. He stared down from the stage into the the writhing mass of what may _seem_ like ordinary manky muppets but were truly the festering tumor of today's society... one that seemed to be multiplying with terrifying fervour at that... **_Fangirls._**

Every time he looked back there were **_more._** Oh dear Morgana, Merlin and Circe, he didn't want _any_ of them within the same breathing space, let alone within _grabbing distance._ " _ **Big time**_."

"It's not like I had a choice. Liz thought herself so clever nominating Damon Salvatore at the last minute. As if I'd let her outdo me." Carol discreetly huffed in affront. "Unfortunately the most eligible and handsome Founder bachelor is hard to beat." Carol let her eyes wander over said desirable bachelor, a pleased tilt to her lips as she took in his lightly muscled trim form in approval.

Not even a twinge of guilt for the mental trauma she was inflicting on the poor lone wizard in their midst, huh? So much friendship. He was but a necessary sacrifice in the cold and bitter war of one-upmanship she had going with the _other_ woman with power in town. Hadrian thought dryly, he was _feeling_ the love here.

"Yes. Of course it makes _complete_ and _utter_ sense now. It was _**completely logical**_ that I drive into town for some milk and see my face staring right back at me from a gigantic banner announcing that I'll be raffled off like some goodie-bag." Hadrian snarked acerbically, still not having gotten over it. That, right there, was ridiculousness that was usually exclusively confined to the Wizarding World. It seemed he could run as far as he wanted but that special brand of battiness stuck to him like the unyielding tentacles of a particularly vicious grindylow.

Hadrian just managed to keep grimace off his face at an especially _exuberant (*cough*_ earsplitting* _cough_ *) squeal rent the air and had his ears ringing unpleasantly, it was a test of his occlumency and willpower to resist flinging the curses sparking at the tips of his fingers – surely a voice cutter curse couldn't be that bad, an insidious voice whispered through his mind temptingly, it would be a service to mankind - instead he succeeded in forcing the placid smile he had frozen onto his lips earlier, to spasm into a slightly brighter version, wriggling his fingers in a cheery harmless wave. Yep, this was what Hell felt like.

Pure. Agony.

...

 _ **Several hours earlier...**_

Hadrian stood in front of the Mayor's Wife grimly and impassively, not a word passing his lips as he stared her down with all the affront and disapproval in the world displayed in those expressive emerald eyes.

A gaze Carol was not immune to, staring into those eyes made something inside the proud woman wind and squirm - not that her professionalism allowed her polite smile to falter for even a millisecond, if it could endure the sickly sweet poison and vitriol from her bitter rivals, it was going to survive her prickling conscience. "Hadrian, dear, I was just about to call you."

He raised a regal eyebrow completely ignoring her words and not toning down on the deprecating stare and adding a pinch of condemnation. His torturous sessions in the Wizengamot and exposure to overreaching politicians had been good for one thing at least; he no longer had to put the effort in unnecessary chatter. One silent stare could be worth a thousand words. Dealing with bleating sheep that wore robes and delighted over squabbling over the tiniest things until one of the wolves among them finally snapped and shut them up -that these wolves liked to watch and quietly collect their blackmail and watch their opponents brain cells die (those sadists!) was not conductive to his continued mental well-being. But! It had taught him the patience of saints and honed his eyes into a weapon. And a fearsome weapon it was; cowing even the **loud-mouthed Lord McLaggen until** he was an inch tall and trying to meld into his seat - yes, unbelievable but true, the father managed to be even more of an obnoxious blighter than the son. Turns out idiocy could run in genes.

Carol crossed her arms defensively. "It was literally last minute, there was no time to print and hand out fliers. And Carlton owed me a favour."

"And that explains why I had to find it out staring at a _six foot_ version of my face." Hadrian intoned dryly, not believing a word as he eyed the decidedly larger bowl of raffles beside the other one, one just dedicated to him as Carol had deemed absolutely _necessary_ to ' _animate the younger generation_ '.

...

Yeeeeesss, to part with their money, was more like it.

Well, as much as it pained him; the woman with the need for extravagance and drama had been right. As even before the official start of the event the Grill was already teeming with teen girls, many more loitering outside at the door, barred from entrance until the set up was done. Small mercies, having to squeeze through that throng to get inside had already been a chore. If he'd known they were lurking for him he'd have applied a notice-me-not charm.

Apparently the potential of a date with a 'loaded hunk' on a twenty foot banner, and being also the reclusive British Lord that was rumoured to have built a luxurious castle hidden in the woods, was too much for both the gold-diggers and the trashy-romance-novel fanatics to resist. It was enough of a lure to have what seemed like all the girls of Mystic Falls, ages 13 to 19 to flood the place.

Another giggling gaggle passed by him, one of them 'accidentally' grabbing his butt while they were at it causing another outbreak of giggles, squeals and excited whispers as they rushed away, leaving him standing stiff as a board in outrage.

He stared at Carol mutely, retribution in his green eyes.

"Don't make a mountain out of a mole hill." Carol scolded in exasperation, patting his cheek. "It's only this one evening, you might even enjoy yourself."

"You are not the one who had to comfort a hysterical seven-year-old who thought his daddy was going to be sold into slavery." Hadrian deadpanned, green eyes lighting up in vicious satisfaction as Carol stumbled and dropped the vase she had been so carefully arranging. There went her perfect symmetry - how unfortunate that one couldn't simply glue blue back the shards with the wave of a hand.

"Slavery?!" Carol spluttered.

"Yes. Teddy was _very_ enthusiastic about reading about his new home, though apparently he hasn't quite gotten to the chapter about the Revolution yet." Hadrian informed her dryly as he adjusted his cufflinks.

There was a moment of uncharacteristic silence as the news seemed to have temporarily broken the proud southern belle, her brain unable cope with that curve-ball. She would get used to it.

Teddy seemed to take his Marauder genes strongly from _every_ side of the family and sometimes had such a strong Ravenclaw side it was frightening when he attacked a subject with that single-minded focus of his... it reminded him of Remus... or a half starved dog with a bone. _All_ very frightening to the unsuspecting. One never knew when the beast would come out to devour you - metaphorically speaking, he wasn't quite ready yet to confront the likelihood of outbreak of fur on his whirlwind of a son.

Carol shifted uncomfortably, this was the South, everyone knew the history, but no one liked to reminisce about the old slave days. It just wasn't done. Catching sight of another faux pas about to happen she made her exit, "No, no, no Elena. You can't just leave the broom there. And you still left glass shards beside that table. Be more careful what if someone steps in it and bleeds everywhere?"

…

…did she just completely sidestep the issue?

Well at least he was getting a front row seat to Little Miss Reckless Driver's humiliation. Well she probably thought of it as such. And she should be embarrassed, _he_ would be with the amount of stumbling around she did! She couldn't even cross the room without knocking over a tray of glasses (which she now had to pay for with her non-existent pocket money hehe!) ...Was it really a good idea to let her back behind the wheel again? Like _ever?_

Hadrian enjoyed the few minutes of respite as Carol escaped and released her tightly leashed tension and tight smiles on the deserving, sipping on his drink that a eager bright eyed brunette had thrust upon him the second he was alone and enjoyed the mounting frustration on the young Gilberts face as she was forced to half-crawl under the tables to fulfil Carols exacting expectations.

Carol came back humming and in good cheer, the previous interlude of seven year olds and slavery completely wiped from her mind, as she went straight into the possible dates and highlights of the evening she'd forced upon him without so much as a by your leave. He wasn't surprised, living in this town with all the vampire and Council stuff going on in the background she probably had some impressive brain bleach capabilities. If he hadn't spread his feelers out so thoroughly upon moving here he might have never suspected... for that alone she had his admiration.

Even if the gushing, subtle as it was, made every masculine fibre off him shiver and cringe as words continued to pour from her mouth. "Oh! But it's going to be so exciting and romantic! A dinner in the mysterious Black Estate with a Lord, your raffles were sold so quickly we had to create more to accommodate the demand." Carol smiled, tickled pink at the success of her last minute adjustment.

"No dates in my Manor." Hadrian denied, bursting Carols bubble, like unscrupulously popping birthday balloons with a needle just as you went to blow out the birthday candles, taking sadistic pleasure in watching her dreamy face crumple. That was for putting his poor Teddy in hysterics.

Carol whirled around, nearly smacking him with her clipboard in her incredulous haste. "Pardon?"

Hadrian hummed nonchalantly. "I'm pretty sure the little evil mastermind has a host of unpleasantries planned for the 'unscrupulous harlot lusting after his daddy' – a direct quote by the way." He shot Carol a look. "So no, I'm not bringing my 'date' home. I'll be making use of my recently completed facilities."

He glanced back at the baffled woman, a small smirk appeared on his lips at Carol's crestfallen expression. "Don't worry I'll make sure, whoever the lucky lady will be, will have a night that is simply… _magical_."

There was a chorus of squeals and giggles from the side as a horde of eavesdroppers made themselves known unable to contain their glee any longer. Hadrian threw them a smirk and a gamely wink that had their hearts collectively thump in their chests before they fled from the formidable Mrs Lockwood's cold disapproving glare. Might as well whip them up in a frenzy if he was stuck here...

...He would later regret that.

(Hindsight was a know-it-all bitch)

 **-) &(**-

The number of raffles for the handsome British Lord skyrocketed even before the official start, when Mrs Lockwood was struck with inspiration and ordered a raffle booth set outside the entrance an hour before the official bid was set to start, as an effective means for crowd control. As a consequence, Elena was nearly overrun in the haste of her peers, left in a rumpled daze after having so much money thrust at her repeatedly, her ears ringing as she stared after them half deaf, and for once Caroline was glad Elena was picked over her.

For the first time since finding out that Elena had taken _her_ place per Mrs Lockwood orders Caroline smiled, glad to be in charge of the stage, far far away from the zealots… still she knew where they were coming from, her eyes drifting to the cause of the hype standing with Mrs Lockwood in the sectioned off area the smooth tones of British accent drifting over the babble occasionally. If she hadn't finally gotten together with Matt she'd be tempted to buy a raffle or three too.

Still her good mood lasted just a mere ten minutes, before she noticed that her friend was still in the same unproductive, non-contributing state as when she'd last looked. Now all she was doing was throw glances at the Stefan again instead of her job. She was even ignoring the woman standing awkwardly to the side obviously waiting to buy a raffle. What if Mrs Lockwood saw?

Caroline quickly made her way over to the woman a bright welcoming smile on her lips.

"Elena pay attention" Caroline hissed at the brunette who just stood there spacing out and doing nothing. Again. "I will not fail here and have it ruin my perfect record. Mrs Lockwood was already **_unimpressed_** enough because we were late- which was also your fault."

"Caroline I _told_ you it was important! I can't tell you why, but I just _had_ to meet with her and you know I couldn't drive myself."

"Well next time you want to be all mysterious, ask your perfect boyfriend Stefan to drive you five cities over at the drop of a hat, and then wait in the car like a lowly servant." Caroline snapped a hint of bitterness in her tone. Sometimes she really wondered if they were really friends or not.

 **-) &(**-

He had to admit there were worse ways to spend an afternoon, now if only he didn't feel like his brain was starting to slowly bleed out of ears. Really, teens should come with a mute button.

...And a slowmotion one.

Still even boobs got old after having shoved them at you so many times from all directions with no class at all and the cleavage getting suspiciously bigger each time. At one point all the acknowledgement he could muster was ah another set of boobs after even the game of naming each pair in increasingly creative ways got old.

And Jenna, that traitor, was being no help at all, sitting in the nice quiet corner and not so silently laughing at him. She hadn't even responded to any of his silent pleas for help.

He saw a bob of light brown parting the crowd like the red sea, at least he had Carol flitting about and breaking up the monotony and saving some of his brain cells.

"Hadrian dear, I'm glad you're doing so well. Please sign this" She handed him a clip board and pen without much ado. This turned out to to be the legalities of a minor, emancipated or not, taking part in such a raffle. A bit late for that wasn't it. Just to kill some boredom he considered letting her sweat, but seeing Sheriff Forbes fingerprints all over this he knew Carol would murder him. He promptly signed with a flourish, he was not getting into the middle of that, thank you very much.

She had barely finished when both were taken from his hands.

...And she was gone again.

The ranks instantly closed around him again and he had strongly perfumed flock of paradise birds flocking about him each trying to grab his attentions as boobs were 'surreptitiously' pressed against anywhere they could reach.

….

…boring.

Hadrian was starkly reminded of reality and just why he tended to avoid the contact with teens, if they weren't moody little blighters or self-entitled randy bastards, they were slavering hormone-controlled _giggly_ specimen barely able to breathe between their verbal diarrhoea... why, _oh why_ , didn't they come with an off-switch? Sweeping his blank gaze across the room of more of the same versions of the hens clucking at him, he kept a charming smile on his lips and giving the required lip service here and there as his eyes were on the look out for something - anything! - interesting. His attention was caught by the slacking(again) Fallen Princess, Elena Gilbert, and her veggie vamp standing in a surreptitious corner whispering to each other suspiciously.

Oooooohh, his eyes smelt trouble and conspiracies.

Excusing himself with an excuse he forgot as soon as it passed his lips, he retreated to the side of the bar and ordered himself a refill, his eyes again finding the whispering duo making a bad stab at being inconspicuous, his vantage point having improved vastly.

Directing his magic to his ears and flinging a wandless listening charm at the pair with a flick of his finger he listened in.

"...Trudie, she knew about vampires!"

Trudie... Trudie...? Now why did that name ping on his radar? He knew Jenna had said something… Ah! Trudie Petterson, BFF of Isobel Flaming Aka Isobel Saltzman Aka Elena's birth mother. Hadrian's eyes narrowed, how did _she_ get that information? Jenna may have done the research because of her new boy toy's words but after Elena's punishment and 'recent' displays of immaturity, she had decreed she wouldn't tell her until her 18th birthday(as had been the original plan). Once Jenna made her decision she was stubborn as a mule. That raised the question how the little miss know-it-all got the information…

Without a smidgen of guilt he dived into the teens mind the first chance she glanced in his direction, considering the topic she and her vampire lapdog were on it was easy to pluck out. To say he was not amused was mild.

Seeing her hack Jenna's laptop - Hadrian had _told_ her that her her High school graduation date was a no-go especially when she made a point to celebrate it each year with more fervour than others their birthday and New Years combined! - and raiding her desk for possible leads until the little shit came upon a file that was familiar to her having seen one just like it countless times throughout her childhood in the hands of her dad.

Hadrian's fists clenched as he riffled through the memories with more force than before and considerably less care. Having thoroughly gutted her aunts browsing history and saved research, Princess Elena walked out of the room head held high and a sticky-note clutched in her hand.

The temerity of that shameless tart! He could practically feel her self-entitlement cling to the memories, there was not even the slightest hint of guilt or shame; the chit felt she had every right to the information. The worst being that at times he could feel the stirring of her buried human decency before she squashed it under a whisper of a name picking up the underlying name of Kathrine and a peculiar mix of underlying emotions behind it. Katherine, a name that carried no memories with it yet but had mutated into a massive construct and had cocktail of ugly emotions lurking in it's shadow, tearing and scratching at it even as those same violent reactions built it up. If he'd been in a more charitable state of mind he would have taken the time to admire how a teenage mind could blow things out of proportions so thoroughly and invest itself

Why that little sneak! No respect for her Aunt or privacy at all and he'd been optimistic enough that the humbling experience of having to bear consequences of her actions would actually shake some sense into her.

No calm down… Hadrian counselled himself as the glass in his hand started crack and the bottles behind the bar tremble. How embarrassing, his magic still acted up with his anger sometimes...

"What do you mean Alaric's wife is my mother?"

"Listen Elena, I met with Alaric this afternoon and he told me something." He paused looking conflicted and ill at ease before continuing under her curious gaze. "Jenna approached him with a picture of a woman by the name of Isobel claiming it was your mother. Alaric recognised her as his wife."

Elena gasped flinching back. "Isobel?"

Stefan frowned at her reaction seeing the recognition on her face, aahh trouble in paradise, he could see it there in the flicker of hurt and betrayal the vampire wasn't fast enough to hide. This he had to see-

To say he was annoyed was an understatement, as he felt that impertinent double squeeze and ripped from his promising entertainment by one very forward girl that had the guts to actually grope him from behind - had they turned this into some kind of game? - his general annoyance spiked into apoplectic. Clenching his hand around his creaking glace he quickly threw it back, welcoming the familiar burn down his throat, before turning his head to glare down at the suicidal bitch. Hadrian's his acidic stare barely settled on her and the girl was already barrelling through her group of friends in a mad dash to the loo, the sound of her gurgling bowels audible even above the music and chatter.

He wished her a pleasant 48 hours of paying homage to the porcelain god.

"-efan. There was no time. I wanted to do this before Jenna noticed and I had to be here early because of my stupid community hours, y'know setting up for the fundraiser." She demonstratively lifted the tray still in her hands.

Bloody fantastic he missed all the good bits. Turning away in disgust he disappeared in the crowd again **,** now he couldn't return to his table with Jenna... the temptation to tell her would be far too great and she didn't deserve to have her evening ruined like that, not when she was finally cheering up after that wanker Alaric left her standing like that.

At least Carol was having an enjoyable fulfilling day, he noted, as he saw the woman in question naughtily run her hands down the well defined chest of the newly arrived older Salvatore vampire as she redid his messily buttoned shirt much to the disappointment of the Grill's female clientele and himself, it would have at least given him something to distract himself with from annoyance of the snooping little chit who was already rationalizing her repeated breaking of trust as a necessity because of _**Katherine**_ and _**needing.**_ To. **Know**.

Huffing he decided to get his petty form of silent revenge by mingling and spreading his influence among the brainless, one never knew when that would come in handy.

"What is Damon doing here?! Shouldn't he be holed up at the boarding house." The whiny voice sounded in his ears, urgh he had nearly forgotten… Hadrian was about to cancel the spell when a look at Salvatore the younger had him pause.

Stefan cocked his head, a frown on his face. "It seems like he's one of the bachelors."

"Him?! Is that safe?"

"…No, not really."

"Why didn't you stop him?!" She did not want to run around having to act as a maid when Damon was there, it was bad enough Stefan was here to see. But Damon would definitely take advantage and make fun of her.

"I didn't know. He hadn't planned it yet this morning." Stefan narrowed his eyes at his brother, hours ago he had proclaimed his disinterest in everything and now… "What is he plotting?"

…Not planned it this morning, he said…

 **-)§(-**

"You know I had a chat with the bartender earlier." Hadrian started, appearing beside Carol out of nowhere, making her heart jump into her throat. "He mentioned something very interesting..." Carol eyebrows lifted in surprise as he turned to face her with what she had dubbed his 'not amused' face, the young face pulled into a stoic moue of aristocratic displeasure that she had only ever seen the British pull off.

Pressing a calming hand over her racing heart, that missed another few beats as Hadrian leaned in with a saccharine smile and poisoned honey dripping from his lips. "Damon only agreed to the fundraiser today. Just before the lunch rush."

"Why that conniving woman..." Carol muttered. "I didn't think straight-laced Forbes had it in her, she told me last night that he was on-board." Her head shot up and her eyes narrowed, "He did agree didn't he?" the plans were already set, it was far too late for changes of this magnitude! It would throw of their entire schedule more than it already was!

"He did."

"See so I was completely justified in nominating you." Carol nodded satisfied before flitting off again correcting two handymen setting up the stage lighting, leaving behind the sulking and muttering Brit.

"At least _he_ was asked."

 **-) &(-**

"Awww what has you sulking, _loverboy_?" the words were breathed in his ear as arms wrapped around him, causing him to stiffen.

"Jenna!" he burst out, he would forever deny the whine that followed, but at one point he simply had enough "Don't do that! You Americans are waaayy to touchy-feely! And you've been neglecting your duty as best friend, I called you in early to help me fend them off and not watch them molest me!"

Of course _now_ that he avoided, her she came over. Lucky for him Carol came and pulled him aside.

"Hadrian. There's been a change in schedule. We'll finish your raffle before presenting the senior bachelors." She passed a critical eye of the masses of teenage girls pressing themselves into the too small room available. "If I'd know it would be such an success I would have insisted on a different location."

Hadrian grinned. "The teenage masses too much for you to handle, dear chairwoman?"

"Elena is being no use at all." Carol noted with distaste as the girl simply stood to the side, once again talking to her Salvatore boyfriend instead of the task's she had set her. Despite the marginal success Liz's daughter was at least _trying_ to control the too hyped crowd. She would have to have a talk with the Council; Elena was obviously not taking her community service seriously enough, maybe she should call in John Gilbert…

"So I should do my presentation now?"

"No need." Carol remarked dryly, not unaware of the amount of attention focused on the young Brit every single moment. "You have done a good enough job already." Any more and there would be injuries, those girls had worked themselves up enough already. In fact Carol had had enough foresight to have the Sheriff call in her deputies.

Aw and he wanted to use the opportunity to experiment with his newfound influence over the teen population to went his aggressions and make things a bit uncomfortable for that thieving sneak.

"How unfortunate. I'd already prepared a gripping speech."

"Very wise choice Mrs Lockwood, if he says that with such a face, it would have ended in disaster." Jenna popped up at his elbow with a grin, not done needling him yet.

"Your words wound me deeply, but I am perceptive enough to tell when I am not wanted." He sniffed in his best Malfoy imitation. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to the stage and look pretty, at least there I'll get some distance from these leeches."

 **-)§(-**

 **…**

That's how Hadrian found himself standing on a hastily cobbled together stage about to be raffled off like a chunk of meat... to a rabid ravenous crowd that could seem to wait to slobber all over him. **_Ugh._**

Kill him now, it would be a mercy killing at this point.

The worst was how absolutely pleased the woman was, he could practically feel her unrestrained glee every time she took in the crowd. And since her ploy had been such an obvious success with what seemed the entire hormonal teen gallery buying those raffles Carol wasn't repentant at all and Hadrian did worry a little what that would mean for him in the time to come.

 **-)§(-**

 ** _Finally,_** the hour had arrived and Carol went up to the stage, announcing the beginning of the drawing, causing the excitement to rise to nauseating levels. Well, Hadrian thought with a metal grimace as a squeal sounded far too close to his ear to his liking, at least there was an end in sight.

"Number 456752" Carol called out out into the masses of teen girls all waiting with abated breath, praying that one of the multiple raffles clutched in their hands would be _the one_. Mad scrambling followed as the small pieces of papers were checked frantically and then again as the mayor's wife repeated the number, they _must_ have heard wrong.

"How lucky, that's me." came a sultry purr from the back, freezing the fangirls in place with heartbreak and all attention to shift to the bar, There sat on the stool, was **one** **bombshell of a woman**. Though young, she outclassed any of the painfully obvious teens in the room with her sheer presence alone. Now _that_ was a woman.

And so one small slip of paper turned the obvious guest in town, into the sudden and vehement enemy number 1 in the eyes of the majority of the females present. Despite the hostility the woman remained unaffected, a smirk adorning those lips as she sinuously slid off the stool and confidently made her way to the stage to collect her prize. Hadrian would have been impressed if he had managed to unglue his eyes from her curves long enough to re-supply his brain with blood.

He loved Teddy with all his being and revelled in every moment of his long-awaited family life. But... after a decade of living on the wild side of life that consisted of near constant excitement and basically doing whatever he wanted, _whenever_ he wanted… well it was taking some getting used to.

"Enchanted." He leaned down and brushed a kiss to her knuckles never breaking eye contact, "My Lady, I'm completely yours until dawn."

Abstinence did not exist in his vocabulary, and that sex-on-two-legs presented to him on the metaphorical silver platter was like the answer to all of 'little Harry's' whining prayers and very welcome.

Very welcome indeed, he concurred with a smirk seeing darkening of those grey eyes.

He should send Carol flowers.

 **-)§(-**

Almost an hour later and Hadrian had to admit he was impressed, coming to appreciate more than just the pretty packaging. Not once did she falter under the harsh regard of the glaring masses, no instead she turned around and subtly taunted them, riling them up with a mere gesture or side glance. Yes Hadrian was enchanted.

The two of them now sat closer to the back and out of the way, having been told, in no uncertain terms, to stay put by the sheriff herself, while the deputies sent the riled up peanut gallery on their way. Something he surprisingly didn't mind anymore, as Kate, that was her name, showed she had more desirable traits to offer. There was something to be said about a beautiful woman with dry wit and a matching sharp tongue.

It was also a pleasant surprise to find that they shared a few traits that had culminated into the habit of dissecting the surrounding crowds and picking people apart mentally for amusement, speculating was always such an entertaining past time especially as he had a handy way of knowing how close his assumptions and conclusions had hit home. He had believed that to be purely Black trait as he and Malfoy tended to indulge in the same game every ball Hadrian found himself hoodwinked and arm-twisted to attend. Good thing muffliato was well within his wandless repertoire or by now one of the two Salvatores would have stormed over to rip his head off.

Kate blinked as their ordered drinks were slammed in front of them, interrupting her mid-word. She could only stare narrow eyed brunet server as she left without a single word.

"That's Elena Gilbert daughter of one of the lauded Founder Families of this town." Hadrian drawled noting her interest, not perturbed about the treatment, in fact finding it rather amusing.

"She doesn't look happy being here." Hadrian snorted at that understatement.

"That's because little Miss Perfect had no choice." He informed her with a smirk, seeing her perk up at the information.

Like a shark scenting blood, she turned to him with gleeful eyes.

It took very little for her to coax him into elaborating, as he only gave a token resistance, before giving in with a put upon sigh, "Since you just arrived I will do my civic duty and fill you in on all the sordid little details; what kind of date would I be if I didn't sate a Lady's need for gossip?" He said gravely but his eyes were full of wickedness. "Besides I wouldn't want the girl to turn you into road kill?"

"Oh? do tell," she purred.

... And so he did, with delight.

 **-)§(-**

Kate was vastly entertained and took extreme enjoyment in all the sordid little details the Lord whispered in her ear, enjoying her brief stay in the small town far more than she had expected, the boy being far more than she expected, making her very interested in what he would grow into.

"Should you be telling me about their private family drama?" she asked him as they left, eyes glittering after a delicious little morsel of insider information, that she was sure would shame the doe eyed Gilbert into running out the Grill had she overheard. His response left no doubt in why she was enjoying the evening so much so far.

"She got on my nerve earlier so I'm feeling spiteful tonight. Besides if they wanted to keep it private they shouldn't start their spat on a stage in the middle of a town event."

Hadrian grinned as Kate laughed, helping her into her coat, before offering her his arm, finally having the go ahead to leave. Unfortunately they walked right into a tense stare off between the Salvatore brothers, completely blocking the way out, they really were everywhere weren't they? Small mercies, Veggie quickly vacated the scene and ran after his damsel, so they were only left with the elder staring around in vexation. At least he did until his eyes settled on his date and lit up with interest.

Yeah, no, he had enough, he did not have patience remaining to endure the vampire ogling his date that blatantly, that man could stick to lusting after his brothers girlfriend.

"Excuse us." He intoned curtly, not even pausing as they walked straight past and out, before the guy got the idea to try to compel him out of his date.

 **-)§(-**

Hadrian didn't even blink at the sudden corpse lying on the road, he could only stare for a moment, not quite believing his eyes. Did that really just happen?

"Oh my, I see what you meant," came the response of his date, as they both stared as panic took over the street after the man that had just been talking to Mystic Fall's most nauseating couple committed suicide.

...Maybe it was something they said?

"I told you being around her could turn you into road kill. She even managed that without driving herself. How terrifying." Hadrian intoned emotionlessly, not noticing or not caring the suddenly harsh glare on him from the crouching vampire beside the corpse.

Turning his back on the scene uncaringly he guided his date away from all the panic and hysteria.

"Now my Lady, let us depart before the rabble insists on blocking the entire street." Stepping forward he motioned to the newly arrived horse-drawn carriage. "Our coach awaits." Hadrian opened the door and presented his hand with a theatrical embellish and a twinkle in his eye.

"Thank you, my Lord." She took his hand and let him help her up in.

"To the Black Stallion Alfonz, swiftly, before Miss Gilbert gets the idea of stepping into a car." He ordered as soon as they were sat.

"Yes, we wouldn't want to become pancakes" came the mischievous interjection from beside him.

"You, my dear, take far too much joy in my near death experience."

.

* * *

 ** _Thanks to all my reviewers and those who F &F this! You are definitely the reason for the update!_**


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